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LOUISIANA: 


ITS    IIISTOKV 


AS    A    FEENCII    COLONY. 


THIRD  SERIES  OF  LECTUR 


BY 


CHARLES    GAYARRE. 


DBBILE    PKINCIPIUM    MELIORA   FORTUNA   SEQUE Tl'R. 


NEW  YORK : 
JOHN    WILEY,    I6Y    BROADWAY. 


1852. 


7 


X 


Entered,  according  lo  Act  of  Con^reaa,  In  the  year  1852, 

BY  CHARLES  OAYARRE, 

In  Ihi;  Clerk's  Oflict  niled  Stiitcs'  District  Court  for  the  District  of  Louiaiana 


K.  CRAIGHEAD,   PRINTER   AND   STEREOTYPER. 

53  yeicy  street,  y.  V, 


I 
I 


:i 


CONTENTS. 


FIRST    LECTURE, 


Anecdotes  of  D<>  Vauflrcuil 

The  riiickasftWH  sue  for  Peace 

Effects  of  Paper  Currency  in  the  Colony 

Tradiiii,'  Monoj.oly  frranted  to  Deruissenu    . 

Lend  Minos  discovered  in  Illinois 

Tnilian  Difficulties 

Proposed  Expedition  against  the  Chiekasaws 

Census  of  Louisiana  in  1746 

Dispute  between  Lenormant  and  Vaudreuil 

Oljstructions  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi 

Proposed  Fortifications  on  the  Mississippi 

Means  of  Defence  of  the  Colony  . 
Terrible  Hurricane  in  Louisiana  . 

Lenormant's  Remarks  on  Paper  Money 
Extent  of  the  New  Orleans  District    . 
Civil  War  among  the  Choctaws  . 
Outrages  committed  by  the  Choctnws  . 

Red  Shoe  killed 

Renewal  of  Hostilities         .... 
Tixerant  discomfited  by  Choctaw  Hunters  . 
The  Indians  attack  the  German  Coast  Planters 
Baby,  the  Dancing  Master,  repulses  the  Indians 
Death  of  Baby— Close  of  the  year  1748 
Views  of  the  Government  on  Commerce 


PAGE 

17 

20 

21 

23 

24 

2C 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 

34 

3S 

36 

38 

89 

40 

41 

42 

48 

44 

46 

4« 

47 


IV 


CONTENTS. 


Aaccndcney  of  the  French *"*?* 

Tranquillity  rn-cxtabliBhed .^ 

Paper  Money 

Incrensf  of  the  Alilitnry  Forces .o 

Paper  Money  coui.terfeited  ...  ,„ 

.                 '                                                    ••••...  08 

Picrn;  Houcher    ....  ,. 

***•■••*  o4 

Lettres  do  Cachet        ....  ,. 

DiHtrihution  of  the  Troops  . 

'                                               '*-***•.  00 

Conii)luints  aguiust  Yaiidnuiil .- 

Coniphiitits  ajjainst.  Uoiivilli6rc -o 

Condition  of  tlio  Colony ,„ 

Litroduetion  of  tiio  Sugar-Cane go 

Exi)cdition  against  the  Chickasawa .        !  64 

State  of  Agriculture -, 

The  Marquis  of  Vuudreuil    .         .  a- 

■■••••.  00 


SECOND    LECTURE 


Kerlerec's  Opinion  of  the  Indians 

Kerleroc  Endeavours  to  Conciliate  the  Indiaus 

Changes  among  the  Officers 

Slate  of  the  Colony     . 

Character  of  tin.'  Troops 

Tribute  to  the  Indians 

Tragic  Occurrence 

Fears  of  Invasion 

Gain  of  the  Mississippi  on  tl»e  Gulf 

Fears  of  British  Invasion 

Religious  Warfare 

Intrigues  of  the  English 

Discontent  of  tiie  Indians 

Attack  on  Fort  I)uquesu<; 

Rocheraore  . 

Introduction  of  the  Sugar  Cane 

Recall  of  Rochemore  . 

Help  solicite<i  from  Spain  . 

Departure  of  Rochemore     , 

Cession  of  Louisiana  to  Spain     . 

Treaty  of  Peace  signed  at  Paris 

Indignation  of  the  Indians 

Dissensions  in  the  Colony 

Description  of  Louisiana,  by  Kedon  dc  Rassac 


69 
70 
71 

-n 

78 

74 

76 

77 

78 

19 

80 

82 

83 

84 

85 

87 

88 

89 

91 

92 

93 

96 

9p 

97 


Mra 

40 

60 
61 
62 
68 
64 
66 
66 
67 
68 
62 
63 
64 
66 
66 


CONTENTS. 


DigputoH  l.otween  the  French  and  Englisli  . 
Opposition  of  tho  Indians  to  tlie  En!,'lisli 
Expulsion  of  tho  Jesuits  from  Louisiana 
Complaints  against  the  English    . 
Major  Loftus  ascends  tho  Mississippi 
Loftua  attacked  by  the  Indians    . 
Loftus  returns  to  New  Orleans   . 
Condition  of  Louisiana        . 
Memorial  of  Kerlerec  . 
Anxiety  of  tho  French  Government 
Letter  of  Louis  XV.  to  D'Abbadio 
Itefleotions  on  the  Fate  of  Louisiana 


Mat 
98 
90 
100 
101 
102 
103 
104 
106 
108 
109 
111 
118 


THIRD    LECTURE, 


69 

70 

71 

72 

73 

74 

76 

77 

78 

^9 

80 

82 

88 

84 

86 

87 

88 

89 

91 

92 

88 

06 

9p 

9fl 


Arrival  of  tho  Aoadians 

Expulsion  of  the  Aeadians  . 

Fate  of  tho  Aeadians  . 

Dispersion  of  the  Aeadians  . 

Hatred  of  the  Aeadians  to  the  English 

Settlement  of  Aeadians  in  Louisiana 

The  Mississippi  a  common  thoroughfare 

English  Fortifications  . 

Description  of  Baton  Rouge 

Protest  against  the  Cession  , 

Presentation  of  the  Petition 

r.esult  of  tho  Ji'ission  . 

Ulloa  rtppoint.xl  Governor  of  Louisiana 
Arrival  of  Ulloa .... 
Treatment  of  the  Superior  Council 

Character  of  Charles  IIL     . 
Military  Career  of  Charles  IIL    . 
Administration  of  Charles  IIL 

His  Death 

Career  of  Antonio  de  Ulloa 
Early  Career  of  Antonio  de  Ulloa 
Character  of  Antonio  de  Ulloa 
Don  Estevan  Gayarre  . 
Don  Martin  Navarro  . 


116 

117 

118 

120 

122 

128 

124 

126 

126 

128 

129 

130 

131 

182 

138 

134 

135 

138 

141 

142 

146 

160 

162 

166 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


FOUKTH    LECTUKE. 


Ulloa's  Instructions    . 

E.xcitomout  Conconiing  the  Paper  Currency 

Difficulty  with  tlio  Frencli  Troops 

"Wretched  Conditiou  of  Louisiana 

Hostility  of  tlie  Inhabitants  to  Ulloa 

Clmracter  of  tlio  Inluibitants 

Embarrassments  of  the  Government 

Commercial  Decree      . 

Anecdote 

Coramoreial  Regulations 

Remonstra  •  ^s  of  the  Merchants 

Doubts  as  to  the  Act  of  Cession 

See.  ision  of  Ulloa 

Proposition  of  Ulloa   . 

Sojourn  of  Ulloa  at  the  Balize     . 

Marriage  of  Ulloa        . 

Letter  of  the  Marquis  of  Grimaldi 

Return  of  Joan  Jlilhot 

Ulloa's  Tastes,  iJar.its,  and  Disposition 

Unpopularity  of  his  Wife    . 

Conversational  Powers  of  Ulloa 

Letter  of  Aubry .... 

Conspiracy  against  the  Spaniards 

General  Insurrection  . 

Petition  for  the  Expulsion  of  Ulloa 

Proceedings  before  the  Council  . 

Decree  of  the  Council 

Opinion  of  Foucault    . 

Protest  of  Aubry 

Reflections  on  Lafr^nifirc's  Address 

Quotatif.ns  from  Lafr6ni6re's  Address 

Character  of  Ulloa  as  Governor  . 


«         • 


PACK 

158 

159 

161 

163 

164 

165 

166 

167 

168 

169 

170 

171 

173 

174 

175 

177 

178 

180 

181 

183 

184 

185 

186 

189 

192 

193 

202 

203 

204 

205 

207 

208 


FIFTH    LECTURE. 


Delegates  appointed  by  the  Insurgents 
P^mbarkation  of  Ulloa  .... 
Manifesto  of  the  Colonists    . 


210 
211 
212 


r 


CONTENTS. 


Vll 


PiiGK 

158 

169 

161 

163 

164 

166 

166 

167 

168 

169 

170 

171 

173 

174 

175 

177 

178 

180 

181 

183 

184 

185 

186 

189 

192 

193 

202 

203 

204 

205 

207 

208 


Appointmonf,  of  n  Committee  of  Inquiry     . 

D(>|)(isitioiis  of  tlie  Witnesses 

Tlie  Council's  Letter  to  the  Duke  of  Prnslin 

Representations  to  tlio  Kins;. 

Foucaiilt's  i-eltcr  to  tlie  Duke  of  Prnsliu 

Aul)ry'8  Letter  to  tlie  Duke  of  Praslin  . 

Position  of  iho  Revolutionists 
Letters  of  Ulloa  on  tlie  Pvovolution 
Petition  of  the  Colonists 
Fouciuilt's  Despatches  . 
Aubry's  Despatches 
Council  of  Ministers  in  Spain 
Grimaldi's  Letter  to  Fuentes 
Symptoms  of  Reaction 


SIXTH    LECTURE. 


210 
211 

212 


Letter  of  Aubry  .  .  ,  . 
Aubry  and  tlio  Council  .  .  . 
Xew  Di'lej^atea  sent  to  France 

Foiioa\ilt's  Treachery     .... 

Departure  of  the  Frigate      . 

Increase  of  the  Reaction 

Scheme  of  a  Republic   . 

Anxieties  of  the  Public  Miml 

Reaction  hi  l^ivor  of  the  Spanish  Officers 

Arrival  of  ()'R(>illy      . 

Tlie  Career  of  O'Reilly 

Messati;e  from  O'Reilly  to  Aubry 

Aubry's  Speech  to  the  People 

Deputation  from  the  City     . 

Address  of  Lafr6ni(5ro . 
O'Reilly's  R,.ply  . 
Close  of  the  Interview 
Landinji;  of  th,'  Spaniards  . 
Landini,'  of  tiie  Troops 
Reception  of  O'Reilly . 
The  Closing  Ceremonies 
Aubry's  Despatches     . 
Letter  from  O'Reilly  to  Aubry 
Aubry's  Answ.ir  . 
Aa-rest  of  the  Insurgent  Leaders 


PAGE 

217 

218 

219 

220 

223 

224 

227 

228 

237 

241 

245 

247 

262 

208 


270 

271 

272 

273 

276 

278 

279 

2S0 

281 

282 

283 

287 

288 

289 

290 

m 

292 
293 
294 
296 
296 
297 
298 
WO 
301 


Vlll 


CONTENTS. 


Death  of  Vnifrfi.        .        .        ,        . 

O'Reilly's  ProL'lamntion 

Arrest  of  Foucmilt 

Ceremony  of  Swearing  Allegiance 

Procce(lini;s  with  respect  to  Foueault 

Letter  frotn  Aubry 

Foueault  sent  to  Franco 

Release  of  Brand 


PAGE 

308 
305 
306 
307 
308 
309 
810 
811 


SEVENTH    LECTURE, 


A  State  Trial 

Presentment  of  the  Attorney-General 

Remarks  on  the  Plaa  of  the  Accused 

Quotation  from  Yaftel 

The  Judgment    . 

Appeals  to  O'Reilly     . 

nis  Inflcxihility  . 

The  Negro  Jeannot      . 

Execution  of  the  Prisoners  . 

Dealh  of  Aubry  . 

Comments  on  the  Execution 

Despatch  of  0']{eilly  to  Grimald. 
Feelings  and  Ideas  of  the  Time 
Charge  of  Duplicity  against  O'Reilly 
Anecdote  of  Cardinal  Richelieu 
Maisons  d'Acadiens 
Polished  Manners  of  the  Colonists 
Census  of  the  Inhabitants    .         , 
Concluding  Remarks  . 

Appendix 


313 

318 

331 

382 

334 

337 

338 

839 

340 

341 

342 

344 

346 

347 

348 

850 

351 

362 

358 

869 


I 


FACi: 

303 
306 
306 
307 
308 
309 
810 
311 


PREFACE 

TO    THE    THIRD    SERIES 


LECTURES    ON    LOUISIANA. 


313 

318 

331 

332 

334 

337 

338 

339 

340 

841 

342 

344 

345 

347 

348 

350 

351 

362 

353 

859 


xHis  IS  the  third  and  last  series  of  the  Historical  Lectures  on 
Louisiana,  embracing  a  period  which  extends  from  its  discovery 
to  1769,  when  it  was  finally  transferred  by  the  French  to  the 
Spaniards,  in  virtue    of  the  Fontainebleau   treaty  si<.ned  in 
November,  1762.     This  work  is,  as  far  as  I  could  make°it  so  a 
detailed  and  accurate  history  of  Louisiana,  ns  a  French  colony 
The  preface  to  the  first  series  of  Lectures,  which  was  criticised 
by  some  as  unworthy  of  the  serious  nature  of  the  subject  which 
I  had  undertaken  to   investigate,  accounts    for    the   defects 
apparent  in  the  whole  production,  if  tested  according  to  the 
rules  of  regular  and  classical  composition,  and  shows  that  they 
proceed,  in  part,  from  the  very  fact  of  its  accidental  creation 
As  I  already  said  in  that  Prefoce,  I  looked  upon  the  first  four 
Lectures,  as  miffce  serice,  to  which  I  attached  no  more  import- 
ance, than  a  child  does,  to  the  soap  bubbles  which  he  puffs 
through  the  tube  of  the  tiny  reed,  picked  up  by  him  for  the 
amusement  of  the  passing  hour.    But  struck  with  the  interest 
whicli  1  had  excited,  I  examined,  with  more  sober  thou-^hts 
the  flowery  field  in  which  I  had  sported,  almost  with°the 
buoyancy  of  a  school  boy.     Checking  the  freaks  of  my  imacnn- 
ation  that  boon  companion  with  whom  I  had  been  gambolirnrr 
1  took  to  the  plough,  broke  the  ground,  and  turned  myself  to 
a  more  serious  and  useful  occupation.     This  is,  I  think,  clearly 


PREFACE. 


observable  in  the  second  series  of  Lectures.     In  the  third  and 
last  series,  which  I  now  venture  to  lay  before  the  public   a 
change  of  tone  and  manner,  corresponding  with  the  authenticity 
and  growing  importance  of  the  events  which  I  had  to  record 
will  be  still  more  perceptible.  ' 

Should  the  continuation  of  life  and  the  enjoyment  of  leisure 
permit  me  to  gratify  my  wishes,  I  purpose  to  write  the  history 
of  the  Spanish  domination  in  Louisiana,  from  1769  to  1803, 
when  was  effected  the  almost  simultaneous  cession  of  that 
province,  by  Spain  to  France,  and  by  France  to  the  United 
States  of  America.  Embracing  an  entirely  distinct  period 
of  history,  it  will  be  a  different  work  from  the  preceding,  as 
much  perhaps  in  point  of  style  and  the  other  elementT  of 
composition,  as  with  regard  to  the  characteristic  features  of  the 
new  Lords  of  the  land. 

Whatever  may  be  the  defects  of  this  work  (and  they  are 
numerous),  their  exposure  cannot  give  me  pain  by  defeating  mc  in 
the  pursuit  of  what  I  never  aimed  at-literary  reputation.     But 
notwithstanding  their  existence,  I  may  be  permitted  to  con- 
gratulate myself  upon  having  thrown  some  light  and  interest 
on  a  subject,  so  far  very  little  known— the  history  of  the  land 
of  my  birth.     I  rest  satisfied  with  having  been   an  humble 
pioneer,  and  with  having  erected  in  the  wilderness  the  modest 
wooden  structure,  which,  I  hope,  will  soon  give  way  to  more 
stately  edifices,   showing  the    elegant  proportions  of  a  more 
clashical  architecture. 

I  beg  leave,  in  conclusion,  to  refer  those  who  think  that  the 
history  of  Louisiana  which  I  have  submitted  to  the  public,  is 
indebted  to  my  imagination  for  many  of  its  romantic  incidents, 
and  who  may  be  willing  to  test  the  accuracy  of  my  historical 
statements,   to  works,   not  of  recent  date,   the    authorship   of 
whir-h  is  attributed   to:    Bossu,   Perrin   du  Lac,  Charlevoix 
Pittman,  Dumont,  Lc  Page  du  Pratz,  Hennepin,    Lahontan,' 
Baudry  des  Lozicires,  Laharpe,  and  Laval;  and  1  also  refer  to 
voluminous  manuscripts  copied  from  the  archives  of  France 


PREFACE. 


XI 


!  third  and 

public,  a 

ithenticity 

to  record, 

of  leisure 
;ie  history 
to  1803, 
I  of  that 
le  United 
3t  period 
leding,  as 
ments  of 
es  of  the 

they  are 
ingmcin 
on.    But 
I  to  con- 
l  interest 
the  land 
humble 
3  modest 
to  more 
a  more 


and  Spain,  and  which  have  become  the  property  of  the  State. 
These  are  my  vouchers,  and  I  have  nothing  to  fear  from  their 
examination,  however  minute  and  critical  it  may  be,  with 
regard  to  the  detection  of  any  intentional  errors  on  my  part, 
conscious  as  I  am,  that,  in  the  composition  of  this  work,  I  have 
been  animated  with  the  same  feelings  which  must  glow  in  the 
breast  of  a  devoted  son,  who  attempts  truthfully  and  scrupu- 
lously to  reproduce  and  to  perpetuate,  with  the  painter's  art 
the  perishing  features  of  a  cherished  moth  -.  ' 

Baton  Rouge,  July  Wh,  1861. 


that  the 
ublic,  is 
icidents, 
istorical 
•ship  of 
rlevoix, 
hontan, 
refer  to 
France 


I! 


^i 


I 


1 

IS' 


LOUISIANA: 


ITS 


HISTORY    AS   A   FRENCH    COLONY. 


FIRST  LECTURE. 


AnM,N,STHAT,OX  OP  T„E  M^maH,   OK  VAUDRKUa  A«  GoVKKXOR  OK  Lc.SUNA- 

Anecotes    Illl'sthatixo   „r.s    Cuakacteu-tuk   C„„.ka8a.vs  si-k   r„n   Pku'e- 

\  AlI.KEL-aS    AN.SWEn-OuD,NAXCE    CONCEUN..NO     LkveE.-ICkKKCT.    OK    T„kYw.. 

CnnuK^cv   rN    t„k   r,„.o.sv-Aro.o,.o.,v   ok    'IVu.k   okaste,.    .,   Dk     L  ,",!^ 

Z  7     "TT^'T    ""'""'"     "^    ""^     C„:CKA«AWS-1VU.,.A„„.V     OK    /"w 

BY   Red   fenoE-KEroKTS  on  the  iIoir„.s   and  Sam.-bars   ok  the   Missksut 

MEA.V.S     OK     ..KKKN.E    Ano„,:,.     TO     PUOTK.T    Lor.S.AXA     AO.U.VST     K  •  vs^H  "" 

n,.E     IIun.,CA.E-F..VAME.     OK     THE    CoLONv-PAPEn    MoNKv     2     .Stock 
onB,K,.     Civa    Wa«   AMo.va    the    Chttaws-A   Pautv    ok    them    VHUK    TH. 

,KUMA.    COAST-GUEAT   AlA„M-AsSA.S,.XAT.OX     OK    Re,,    S„OE-i"   k   "     „,   THK 

N>ux   D,«t™ba.c^^_Dak..v«   ok  the   CHocTAWH-CowAamcE  OK  'nxnu,;- 

MA.STE.S    ^^i.E^    attacked    mv    the    Cuocxuv.s-Commeuck   ok    the    Co.onv 
lN.o.„A«E„E.vT    o.vEN     TO    Aor.T,;..TnuE-Y.E..„    OK    T„,:    Wax     Tm;;; 
Cra,o,,»:s  ..eclaued  nrpEST  Men  to  wage  War  a,.unst  „,k  In,„.v.s-(- as„,"o 

BLOW       O.VKV       BV       GnAN„.l.UK      TO      THE       CHOCTAWS-lh.      TuE  Vrv       OK      P    1 

w.™    ™at    NAT,oN-r,.u.,E    Kouc.   „:nt    to    LOU.UNA-CO.;  LkIm^  ^k 

TIE    l.UEH     M,..VKV    OK    T„E     CoLO.NV     BV     A     CoLORED     MaN-H,S     P,.S,s„,Xt 
(.KAN.,-P„.      MADE      A      Kn.OHT       O.      St.      LoUm-ORI«.N       OK      THE       Gr     X^P^ 
FAMaV     ,N      LoULSUNA-QfAURELS     BET.VEEN      Va.:„HEU,L     AX„      Z      V^^^^ 

M.CUKL    „e    i.^    RorvauEKE,    t„e    Sra-EBsou    ok    Lexormant-S,-.  T   Oan^ 

«KNT     TO     THE     J^,n.    OK    Lov,.„ANA-Ar„,VAL     OK     S.XTV     G  „^-1m\x,L     ™ 

™    thev   were  Settle.,   ,n   the   Colo.sv-Fru.tle.s    E^no'  '^  V  ™ 
««Eua    ACAINST    THE     Chukasaws-Aneodote    OK   T^.E    To,  .^^,«.^     fLI: 

.r;o''rAt„!T""''^-^n^  "^  *'~"^"  "^  i>'A-.vHrE-VA.  r""- 

SKNT  TO  Canada-Kerlerec,  Goveknor  ok  Lo.ls.ana  ,n-  Feu.u:arv,    1763. 

The   appointment  of  the  Marquis   of  Vnudreuil  as 
(governor    of    Louisiana,    in   the 


in 


plsieo      nf      Bjnnyijl^ 


"^ 


II- 


IS 


ANECDOTES  OF  DE  VAUDREUIL. 


[)ro(liice(l  ii  favorable  impression  on  tlio  colonists,  and 
«,nive  rise  to  flatterin^r  hopes.     It  was  known  tint  the 
Marquis  was    the  son   of  a  dislinguished  officer  who 
had  been   Govcrnor-frcncral   of  Canada,  and   that  he 
belonged  to  an  influential  family  ;it  the  French  court. 
His    nomination  Avas    received    as    a    token    that    the 
government  intended  to  make  serious  efforts   to   put 
the  colony  on  a  more  respectable  footing,  and  it  was 
presumed  that  the  Marquis  would  not  have  accepted 
the  post   of  a   petty  governor    in    so    insignificant   a 
colony,    if  he    had    not    received    promises    that   the 
province  over  which  he  had  been  called  to  rule,  would 
soon  be  destined,  under  the  powerful  patronage  of  the 
mother  country,  to  acquire  more  importance  than  it 
had  so  ftir  possessed.     His  arrival  in  the  colony  was 
therefore  hailed  with  joy,  as  the  harbinger  of  better 
days.     That  joy  rested  also  on  the  knowledge  of  the 
hereditary  reputation  of  all  the  Vaudreuils   for   kind- 
ness and  liberality.     With  respect  to  these  qualifica- 
tioiis,   the    present    Governor    of   Louisiana   was    no 
vmworthy    representative    of   his    ancestors.      A    few 
anecdotes  related  of  him  will  fully  jllustratc  his  cha- 
racter. 

It  haj)pcned  that  one  of  his  servants  acted  with 
insolence  towards  an  officer  of  the  garrison  in  New 
Orleans,  who  had  come  to  pay  his  respects  to  the 
governor  on  one  of  his  reception  days.  The  marchio- 
ness having  been  informed  of  the  fact,  brought  it  to 
the  knowledge  of  her  husband,  and  insisted  on  the 
culprit's  being  dismissed.  De  Vaudreuil  acquiesced  in 
a  demand  which  he  thought  just,  and  consented  to 
part  with  that  servant,  although  a  favorite  one.  He 
sent  for  his  privy  purse,  and  after  having  paid  the 
wages  due  to  the  servant,  he  added  a  bounty  of  three 
hundred   livres.     His  wife  expostulated  with   him   on 


ANECDOTES  OF  DE  VAUDREUIL. 


19 


lists,  and 
th-t  the 
ccr  who 

that  he 
;h  court, 
that    the 

to  put 
1(1  it  was 
icccpted 
ficant  a 
that  tlie 
c,  would 
le  of  the 

than  it 
ony  was 
f  better 
3  of  the 
)r  kind- 
ualifica- 
wiis  no 
A  few 
lis  cha- 

3d  with 
in  New 
to  the 
larchio- 
it  it  to 
on  the 
seed  in 
nted  to 
le.  He 
aid  the 
•f  three 
lim   on 


this  Htrange  piece  of  liberahty,  and  observed  that  it 
was  offering  a  reward  to  impertinence.  Unmoved,  and 
without  returning  an  answer,  the  Marquis  threw  agam 
three  hundred  livres  to  tlie  lacquey;  and  seeing  the  flush 
of  anger  rising  on  his  wife's  brov"  :  "  JMadam,"  said  he, 
with  great  composure,  "  I  do  not  reward  him  for  his 
insolence,  but  for  his  faithful  past  services,  and  if  you 
show  too  much  displeasure  to  the  poor  devil,  I  will 
give  him  the  whole  purse,  to  indemnify  hhn  for  his 
having  incurred  the  mortification  which  you  now  inflict 
upon  him." 

Once,  an  oflicer  of  the  garrison  wrote  against  him  to 
the  minister  of  marine.     The  minister  transmitted  the 
letter  to  De  Vaudreuil.     One  day,  the  same  officer  was 
addressing  some   gross   flattery  to  the  Marquis,  who 
stood   it    for   a  while,   but    the    dose    becoming    too 
nauseating,  "What  conduct  is  this?"  exclaimed  the 
Marquis,  "  how  dare  you  thus  give  the  lie  to  your  own 
written  assertions/     Is    it   possible   that   you   should 
so  soon  have  forgotten  a  certain  letter  which  you  have 
written  against  me  ?  "     "  A  letter  against  you,  general 
and  from  me?"     "Yes,  sir."     "I  swear  that  nothing 
can  be  more  false."     "  Beware,  sir;  do  not  force  me  to 
look  for  that  letter,  for  if  you  compel  me  to  take  that 
trouble,  I  will  immediately  have  your  commission  taken 
away  from  you."     The  officer  did  not  reply,  and  never, 
from  that  moment,  did  the  Marquis  open  his  hps  on  the 
subject,  or  show  by  any  act  that  he  remembered  the 
circumstance. 

It  also  happened,  that  a  menial  in  his  household 
had  lost  or  mislaid  a  valuable  piece  of  plate.  The 
Marquis  was  at  table  when  the  offence  was  discovered, 
and  the  guilty  one,  trembling  with  emotion,  and 
overwhelmed  with  shame  at  his  being  accused  of  so 
much  negligence,  and  perhaps  of  theft,   was   brought 


THE    CHICKA8AW8   SUE    FOR    PEACE. 


'Ili 


up  to  his  presence.  The  Marquis,  at  first,  looked  at 
Jiiin  with  some  severity  of  countenance,  l)ut  his  face 
soon  resumed  its  usual  benevolent  expression,  and 
turnmg  to  his  butler,  he  said  :  "  Get  a  bottle  of  my 
best  wmc  and  give  it  to  this  poor  fellow  to  cure  him 
of  h,s  fright."  This  is  enough;  no  more  can  l,e  wanted 
to  give  the  measure  of  De  Vaiidreuil's  heart. 

Bienville,  when   he  departed  from  the  colony,  had 
left  It  at  war  with  the  Chickasaws.     These   Indians, 
on   their    being   informed   that    a    new   governor   had 
arrived,    sent    to    him    four    of   their    chiefs,    with   a 
frenchman,    their  prisoner,   named  Carignan,   to    sue 
tor  peace.     Vaudreuil    answered    that    he   would   not 
treat  with  them,  except  it  were   in   cop.—:    .,ith   hi<, 
alho<,  the  Choctaws,  to  whom  they  should  make  ampl^ 
amends  tor   all    the   injuries   they   had    inflicted   upon 
them  at  the  instigation  of  the  English,  and  except  they 
should   drive    away   from    their   villages    the    English 
traders,  who,    ho  said,   were  the  authors  of  all  their 
misfortunes.     The  Chickasaws  took  time  to  consider 
ttiesc  conditions. 

The  necessity  of  providing  against  the  ever  threaten- 
ing overflows  of  the  Mississippi  had  struck  De  Vau- 
dreuil and  .jointly  with  Salmon,  the  king's  commissary, 
l.e  pubhshed,  on  the  18th  of  October,  an  ordinance 
which  commanded  the  planters  to  have  their  levce« 
made,  or  m  a  safe  condition,  by  the  1st  of  January, 
1744,  under  the  penalty  of  forfeiting  their  lands  to 
the  crown.  Evidently,  this  penalty  was  sufficiently 
strmgen  to  secure  the  execution  of  the  ordinance. 
Thus    closed   the   year    1743,    during   which    the   ex- 

TZ  ^L^"  "^'"•"•^t'-^tion  of  the  colony  amounted 
to  ,i4o,o28  livres. 

In  the  beginnmg  of  1744,  the  Chickasaws  informed 
De  VandreuH  that  tl,ey  „onld  accept  his  conditions, 


I       I 


ookod  at 
liis  face 
ion,  and 
e  of  my 
'ure  him 
c  wanted 

my,  liad 

Indians, 

nor   had 

with   a 

to     8U0 

'uld  not 
i'ith  his 
e  ample 
id  upon 
0}>t  tliey 
English 
dl  their 
;onsider 

ireaten- 
)e  Vau- 
aissary, 
Jinance 
levees 
anuary, 
nds  to 
iciently 
inance. 
lie  ex- 
ounted 

formed 
litions. 


EFFECTS  OF  PAPER  CURRENCY  IN  THE  COLONY.   21 

and  dismiss  the  En<,diHh  traders  from  their  villnges,  if 
the   French   could   supply    them    with   all    the   goods, 
merchandise,  and  amnumition,  of  which  they  stood  in 
need.     This,  I)e  Vaudreuil  could  not  do,  nor  could  he 
promise  to  do,  without  exposing  himself  to  a  brench 
of  faith ;  and  with  no  small  degree  of  concern  did  he 
learn  that  the  Chickasaws  were  negotiating  with  the 
Choctaws,  to  conclude  a  treaty  of  peace  with  them, 
without  including  the  French.     On  this  state  of  things, 
he  wrote  to  his  government  :  " I  will  do  my  best  to 
defeat  these  negotiations,  which,   if  successful,  would 
be  ruinous  to  the  colony.     We  must  not  forget  that 
we  are  in  a  state  of  the  utmost  destitution,  that  our 
warehouses  are  empty,  and  that,  between  us,  who  can 
only  make  fair  promises,  and  the  English,  who  cnn  ^ire, 
the  Indians  cannot  hesitate  in  their  choice.     Many  of 
them  have  already  carried  their  furs  to  the  English, 
and  this  example  will  be  contagious.     All  that  1  can  do' 
is,  to  insinuate  to  the  Choctaws  that  the  Chickasaws 
are  not  in  good  faith   in    their  proposals    for    peace, 
and   that   probably  their   only    object  is   to   lull   their 
enemies   into   unguarded   security,    and   to    strike    an 
unexpected  blow  upon  them,  or  perhaps  that  thoy  seek, 
under  cover  of  their  pretended  negotiations  for  peace, 
to  keep  the  Choctaws  in  a  state  of  inaction,  and  m' 
the  mean  time  quietly  to  get  in  their  harvests."     The 
Marquis   concluded    his    despatch    by  endeavoring  to 
impress  upon  the   government    his    conviction  of  the 
necessity  of  forwarding  to  him,  as  soon  as  possible,  an 
ample  supply  of  goods  and  merchandise. 

Vaudreuil  had  found  the  colony  in  a  deplorable 
financial  condition.  It  will  be  recollected  that  the 
government  had,  in  1735,  contrary  to  the  advice  of 
Bienville  and  Salmon,  called  in  the  depreciated  paper 
money  of  the  India  Company,  and  had  replaced  it  by 


22 


i:ffi:ctr  of  papkr  ivmiv^cy  ix  tiik  tolonv. 


paMt.hoarcl   nof^.s  (hillrfs  ./.  rarfcs),  whirl,,  it  wns  snul 
om.rrd  n,.  .nf.nitHy  l.rttor  nocurity  tl.nn  tl.r  prrccdinj 
onr   bcT,..iso  tl...  king's  ,K,,,or  wn.s  not  to  ho  woi.rholl 
J"  the   s.-.,no    seal,  with    th.    Co.npm.y's   ,.,,j,or.  Uut 
ivinUy  h;u]  nin,    yoarM  (dapscl,  whon  this  royal  i.apor 
was  as  nn.ch  dcprociat...!  as  its  .no,-,,  n.o.lrsi  ,,r<.(l,>ros- 
8or.      I  ho  (lopivnation  was  snch,  that  it  was  nrcrssarv 
to  «,v<>  three  hnndre.l  hvres   in   ,,a,),.r  for  what  nmdit 
have  hoen  ^ro,  for  uov  hnndn.l  hvres  in  coin.     On  U.o 
^7th  of  April,  the    council    of  state    decland    that    it 
cons,der(Ml  tins  condition   of  thin<.s  as    prejudicial    to 
the  tnmnc<>s  of  the  ir(,v,.rrnnent,  to  the  welfare  of  tho 
colony  and  th(>  progress  of  connnerce,  and  that  it  had 
rosolved  to  pnt  an  <.nd  to  snch  disorders.     It,  therefore 
''">'"n"H.e<l  to  call  in  all  pasteboard  notes,  and  to  pay' 
;>'H^  iH.n.lred    hvres    for   every  two   hnndrcd  and    fifty 
I.vns  worth  of  pap,>r.     Snch  was  the  rate  established, 
'"'<!    the    nuKle    of  payment    was    not    in    sp,>cie,    bu 
cons.sted  n.  giving  drafts  on  the    treasury  in  Fnvnce. 
On    these    drafts    the    holders    had    again    to    los,^    a 
I  .^connt        t  was  also  decreed,  that  all  the  pasteboard 
notc>s   which    should    not    be    brought    in    within    two 
months  after   the    pronuilgation   of  this    edict,   should 
.ecome  null  and  void,     fn    support  of  the   jjstice   of 
t  US  lugh-handed  and  arbitrary  nu^asure,   it  was  stated 
ha      he  government  did  not  M  under  the  obligation 
to  take  up  tiDse  notes  at  par,  because  thev  bar?  been 
g.ven   to   meet   expenses  and  claims   which    h.^i   b<  ^n 
raised  in  proportion  to  the  actual  or  e.xpe.M.d  dopre- 
c.nt.on  ol    the    currency   in   which    thes,!  were    to^c 
uuf.     Such    was   the    impotent    apology    offered    by 
the  government  for  its  shameless  breach  of  faith,  and 
the  poor,  hclph.ss  colonists  had  to    be    salisfled    with 
't.  uy   harl   found   out,  too  late,  that    the    Kin<r\, 


pif.  '■> .    nMhAiiih     it    went    by 


a    more    lolly    name, 


OLOIVV, 


TKADINtJ    MONOPOLY    (JHAIVTKI)    TO    DKHI'ISSi:  VI.       2!? 


w.'is  smkI, 
)rrcc(lin^ 

W(!iir||o(l 

»or.  Hut 
Kill  [)}ipor 
)r<'(l(>r,o.s- 
('crKSiiry 
at  iui;ir|it 
On  tlio 
that  it 
licial    to 

0  of  tho 
It  it  had 
HTcforo, 

1  to  pay 
nd  fifty 
ildishcd, 
^-io,  hut 
Franco. 

los(»  a 
t<;hoard 
in    two 

should 
itico  of 
i  stated 
Ii<,^ation 
id  hoon 
'i    hi  r»n 

doprc- 

to  he 
■od  l)y 
til,  and 
I    with 

name, 


was  as    much   of  a    ^^oithlrss   ra;^   as    the    Compamfs 
paper. 

Unfortunatfdy,    lh<;    \liin|iiis    of    N'jiiidn'uil    luarkc^d 
tho  l)(>;4innin<f  of  his   adiniiiistralioFi   hy   [oijowinir   the 
old  nefarious  custom  of  «fr!inliiifr  monopolies.     On   th«' 
8lh   of  Auf^ust,  he   conceded  to  a  man  named  Deruis- 
seau,  the  exclusive  ri^ht  of  Irndin/jj  in  all  the  coiuitry 
watenid   hy   th(>   Missouri,  and  the;  streams  falling  into 
that  river.      This    privil(!ir<!  was    for    a   term   a  little 
exceeding  five  years,  heginning  on  tho  Ist  of  January, 
171.'),  to  terminate   on    the   20th   of  May,   1750.     To 
this   grant  s<!vcral   condition:!    w«>re    annexed,   amou'^ 
which  were  these: — r)eiiiiss(  au  hound  himself  to  finish 
the  fort  estahlished  on  the  Missouri  territory,  to  keep 
in  it  a  sufficient  stock   of  merchandise   to  satisfy  the 
wants  of  the  Indians,  to  maintain,  at  his  own  expense, 
the   several  indiiiu  trihes  of  that  district  in  a  state  of 
amity    among    themselves    and    with    the     I'rench,    to 
supply    the   garrison   of  the    fort   with   the    nec(  ssary 
means    of  suhsisteiicc,  to  pay   to  its   counnandcr   an 
annual  hounly  of  one  hundred  pistoles,  and  to  trans- 
port  to    the   fort,  without    charge,    all    the    provisions 
and  effects  of  that  commander.     It  was  sti()ulated  hy 
the  gov(>rnor,  that  he  reserved  'to  himself  the  right  to 
modify,  change,  or  alt<<r  any  of  the  conditions  of  th«> 
grant,  according   to   circumstances,    and    in    the    way 
which  the  prosperity  of  the  country  might  recjuire. 

In  rendering  an  account  of  what  he  had  done,  De 
Vaudreuil  said,  in  a  dcsj)atch  of  the  Oth  f)f  Dc'cendxr, 
that  one  of  his  reasons  for  granting  to  Deruisseau  lh(> 
monopoly  of  trade  in  the  Illinois  district,  was  to 
deprive  the  colonists  in  that  region  of  all  means  of 
carrying  on  any  kind  of  commerce  with  the  Indians, 
and  thus  to  force  them  into  the  cultivation  of  the  soil. 
He   added :    "  It   would    he    proper    to    j)rohihit    the 


I 


f     ::l 


24 


l^EAD   MINES   DISCOVERED   IN    ,^^,^^,^^ 


introduction  of  negroes  intn  ih  . 

".order  to  <^oneJT:iZ.nu£:l  f  .f"  ^"-"^^' 
»d  to  oblige  them  to  woA   them  .,      "'«  colonics, 
negroes  would  be  more  ZZ,   'r"'^«'™s.    Moreover, 
of  the  colony,     l  wouldC^"'  '"  ',""  '°"-  ?"« 
»«groes  to  be  taken  UB  to  ,1,  %,"'P''^""'t  'o  allow 
•he  white  inhabitams  Should   h       "°"'  '^*'='''"  ^'■«" 
I'fe  of  wandering    and    I„,l        "T"''  '''■•""   "'"i^ 
assumed  sedentary  habits'^    h'  f"'',  ^•''™'    ''»'™g 
o'=cupied  in  cau/ng  thS  n!  ^        "'*'    "'    '''''^'    ^f 
'""d..    I  send  samples  LmT'  '°  '""'™"'  "'^i.- 
<=opper  which  we  continne  ,  """='  "f  '"«<)  and 

To  work  these  mbTs  'it  wol  r""  "'  ""  ™'"°'^- 
convicts."  '      ^""'^  »«  necessary  to  send 

,beeT';ietro::i7ob;tt:ai°V'"'"-  "^^  '"^^^ 

'«"•  topt  in  view,  Hi  Dc'  V,^  ^T"*^''  S°'«"™ent 
^amo  delusion.  I,  j"  diffie.^t  f '"''  '^".<=°"'ag«<i  the 
working  of  those  mLs  cou  ■  ""."«'""  ''°''  "'« 
With  success  in  tho  e  Lys  T  r  "r"  "^'''  °» 
subsist  on  its  own  resou-vr.,'  ™'°"^  •=°"l'l  «ot 

-nt.&om  the  molijr  c„  ;:''"1p^:™'""  '"""  ">  "" 
provisions,  that,  if  all  the  die  .  ,  ""^  '™'«^  "'ose 
are  to  bo  taken'  to  the  TeH?.'"'  ■"■  "■"  governors 
smce  the  very  first  day  of  .^  .J'""'  "'"  '"''aWtants, 
I'ad  always  been  on  rt/  et   'T'"™'  "^  "'«  =°'ony 

«-"il  'nmself,  i„  a  lett     of  L "strTt""-    ^^  ^-- 
wrote  ;  "  Jf  flou„  ,,^  ,    "^  "^^  "^.^  -^^^h  of  October,  1744 

•'■oops  would tetK':'  "  ""  '^'^P"-''  ""'' 
'"O'"'"    In    such    cir«n  ?""'  ""^  "'<=  want  of 

hundreds    of  work ,  en  C'T'      "    """''^   ^«™"' 

■"ines  Of  Arkansas  rofnhmisr",;"'''','"''^''    '"   "'<= 
't  not  have  been  to  furnll!  H  •  ,"™  ''''"<^"l'  would 

for    their  mining^op     t  ^r'^i;^    f '''«  "---™s 


INDIAN    DIFFICULTIES. 


25 


outlays  ?  It  is  astonishing  that  tliese  considerations 
should  not  have  prechidec'  the  very  conception  of  any 
project  of  the  kind. 

It  will  be  recollected  that,  shortly  after  the  arrival 
of  the  Marquis  of  Vaudrcuil  in  the  colony,  the 
Chickasaws  had  made  proposals  for  peace,  but  the 
Marquis  had  answered  that  he  would  not  treat  with 
them  separately  from  his  allies,  the  Choctaws;  and 
when  the  Clioctaws  showed  themselves  favorably  dis- 
posed towards  the  Chickasaws,  he,  under  some  [)retext 
or  other,  postponetl  the  consideration  of  the  peace 
negotiations  which  had  been  opened  by  the  Chicka- 
saws, and  succeeded  at  last  in  reviving  the  old  hatred 
of  these  two  tribes,  and  in  renewing  their  acts  of  hosti- 
lity, which  had  been  temporarily  suspended.  Red 
Shoe,  whose  intrigues  and  tamperings  with  the  English 
had  so  long  been  a  source  of  uneasmess  to  the  French, 
had  even  been  gained  over  by  the  diplomacy  of  the 
Marquis.  The  fact  is  that  the  policy  of  the  French 
was  to  keep  the  Indian  tribes  at  war  with  each  other, 
in  order  to  waste  away  their  strength  and  power. 
The  Indians  were  not  so  simple  as  not  to  be  fully 
aware  of  the  game  that  was  played  upon  them.  But, 
by  the  contact  of  the  civilization  of  a  superior  race, 
they  had  been  inspired  with  wants  which  they  could 
not  shake  off,  and  had  by  this  means  been  put  under 
the  complete  dependency  of  these  two  European 
nations,  the  French  and  the  English,  on  which  they 
had  now  to  rely  for  the  gratification  of  their  newly 
ac<iuirod  tastes  and  vices.  The  nature  of  the  Indian 
was  not  such  ;is  to  enable  him  to  resist  the  tempting 
baits  constantly  thrown  in  his  way  by  the  two  great 
rivals  who,  with  nmtual  jealousy,  were  ever  strug- 
gling for  mastery  over  his  tribes ;  and  those  ignorant 
children  of  the  forest  were,  almost  without  interrup- 


26 


INDIAIV   DIFFICULTIES. 


"™; ':l;:™AHdr  :r'^  'r""  '^p""^  "> «"-  ^e. 

stances,  other  fcr  more  1  /^"'  ™'''"'  ^'"=''  «'■•-=<">>- 
nations  and  .  ;  ^rl':  rf '  """  "T  '="''S'"»''<f 
the  necessary  meins  to  opl^osr."  7m"\  "?-^"""^  -"• 
thewaveofforcirrninv.Zrf-  ,    "ffi'^K'nt  obstacle  to 

practical  es  t  \  d  n^n'""'"?  '"''  ""•  '™''  '"  ""J' 
experience  o  forty  five  T  °f  ""■=  ""'ng-tl'a.  the- 
French  of  the  ,mSft  ofT  f""'  '''"'"■«>«'  'I'e 
researches.  ^  "'^  *"'"'  "'""I'^s^  "ud  expensive 

p-cd^:^;.;:tsoi:''?r  ''''•' ""'  ^'-^-- 

which   car^d'desX  :;       /2Tt  '"T'^'T 
colony.      RpH   oi,^„       •„        "   '^"^™    "iroiiglioiit   the 

even   seduced   his    old   ri  ^1      A  ^'"'''   ''""'   '"'>' 

hitherto  constant  friend  of 'he  P  eTr"  p*'™^'''  "'^ 
the  French  l,nd  thus  n«,,t  /*=''■  ''"'•  ""h""gh 
of  the  Po,„,r.  oTtJr'     "'/»™'-  f  'he  Ca-sar  a^d 

numerous  illh,^Lf'I^''^'  ■"''"  '''"'"■■"'d 

English   taction:    I^X'^Zrl^!!^  T"''   ""^ 
excited  that  tirev  n,..,>i  ,  "^a'te")    hecarne    so 

28th  of  Oc  ol    ."^  ,,    t  ■■'""■'"    •"  '•'""•^-      ""  the 

hi.'  governn,*  •  ^  Thf  c,'!;:',;:'  ''"""'•'■"''  "■•'''<'  'o 
efforts   to  rouse   tl,„         ^hickasaws,  jn  spiie  of  nur 

nations  a.a  n      ,1  e™  "f  ,'"'  ""  ""  '"'"^■'  1™""'' 

he.hrou,=h":ir';r:r  ;:rj^T->'^^ 

creases  the  diffiriiIfio=    i  '-M»^""ioii.      j)elay    ,n. 

eve..a,mor:^-::s:rxry-";,:n- 


PROPOSED  EXPEDITION  AGAINST  THE  CHICKASAWS.  27 


are  gradually  enlisting  the  sympathies  of  the  Chero- 
kees,  who  are  powerful  auxiliaries.  All  expeditions 
of  this  nature  have  been  so  unsuccessful,  that  I  well 
conceive  the  reluctance  of  the  government  to  renew 
the  attempt.  But  the  roads  being  now  better  known, 
Ave  can  accompUsh  more,  and  at  less  expense.  Two 
hundred  recruits,  in  addition  to  the  regulars  and 
militia  we  already  have  here,  would  be  all  that  is 
wanted.  To  avoid  exposing  our  men,  we  would,  in 
attacking  the  strongholds  of  the  Chickasaws,  have 
recourse  to  trenching  and  mining.  In  having  them 
partially  attacked  and  harassed,  we  have  to  spend 
much  in  presents  to  our  Indian  auxiliaries.  It  would 
be  better  to  make  short  work  of  it,  and  to  bring  this 
matter  to  a  conclusion."  The  Marquis  closed  his 
despatch  by  complaining  of  being  entirely  destitute 
of  provisions,  merchandise,  and  ammunition,  and  in- 
formed his  government  that  the  Choctaws  were  tired 
of  their  war  against  the  Chickasaws. 

De  liOubois,  who  was  one  of  the  oldest  and  most 
influential  officers  in  the  colony,  advocated  the  same 
course  which  the  Marquis  of  Vaudreuil  was  recom- 
mending, and,  in  a  despatch  of  the  6th  of  November, 
strenuously  insisted  on  the  importance  of  forcing  the 
Chickasaws  to  drive  away  the  Enghsh,  who,  he  said, 
had  avowed  territorial  pretensions  extending  to  the  left 
hank  of  the  Mississippi.  For  this  reason,  he  agreed 
with  De  Vaudreuil  in  the  conclusion,  that  another 
expedition  against  the  Chickasaws  was  necessary. 

In  a  document  presented  to  the  French  government 
in  1744,  the  white  population  of  New  Orleans  was  put 
down  at  eight  hundred  souls,  not  including  two  hun- 
dred soldiers  and  the  women  and  children.  The 
black  population  did  not  exceed  three  hundred.  A 
few  of  the  houses  were  of  brick,  nnd  the  greater  portion 


28 


^ENSrs   OF   LOUISIANA    IN    I745. 


'■Vfea.     Al,„„.„  ^11  (,,„  ^°    '"■««    I'undrcd    tl,ous«„d 

fivo  l„„,dr,.d  n,.«r„ex,  .c™  al  n  '  f']  '''""'•  "'"'  """« 
»";1  «lk  ...aiMdlworics."  l-'^'to'ious,  bnck  ki|„s, 

"'■itc  inhn!,,-,!;,;;""^;;,,  uirL  *l"'';  "••'=  ""<>  ''""d'od 

"o.- ■•  «,u-.lo„i„,.  a,„,  ,,;:",;:■"'""'  ■"••s™™-    Occu„a. 

tl.eral.,i„j,„f|,^,;,i,;j'«  <^"'"va..o„  of  .ohacco  ar,d 

I'^lucions:  cat  lo  ,t  co::;?'  '""' ''"'"'-''  ^ucks. 

'    ^^'  ^"i"»  tobacco." 


At  the  Baluie,  . 

('•■rnwn  Const, . 
I'ointo  (\mj),'.e, . 
NiUcliitodios, 
Natclu'j;, 

Arkansas,. 

Illinois, 

Alissouri, 

IVtit  Oiigas,      ' 

I'lwca^mlas,     . 

Wubilc, 


W^omcn  and  diildron  about 


'IBNKKAL   TABLEAU. 
Whitoinl,abl(a,>i«(,„ai„). 
troops  oDijr,  n„  settlers. 


TVoops, 


800 

•  100 

•  200 

60 

8 

12 

•  800 

•  200 

40 

10 

ISO 

1700 
1600 

3200 

.     800 

4000 


Black,  of  both  io»«,. 

30 

300 
200 
400 
200 

16 

10 
600 

10 

6 

60 

200 

2020 


I 


DISPUTE  HETWEEN  LENORMANT  AND  VAUDREUIL.     29 


between 

'  tw  on  ty- 
tli  f'rorn 
'iousiind 
I-  TJic 
*o  owns 
'v  kilns, 

lundred 
'ccupa- 

undrcd 
5o  and 

)lack8. 


oth  foxut. 
) 


The  old  and  the  new  Biloxi,  the  Pass  Christian,  and 
the  Hay  of  St.  Louis,  whore  the  first  French  settle- 
ments had  been  made,  sc^cm  to  have  been  entirely 
forgotten  in  this  table,  and  yet  they  must  certainly 
have  retained  some  of  the  early  settlors  or  their 
descendants.  Taking  into  consideration  omissions  of 
this  kind,  and  putting  down  the  colonial  [)Oj)ulation  at 
.^500,  it  shows  a  remarkable  decrease  since  1731, 
when  liOuisinna  was  r(^troceded  to  the  king  by  the 
India  Company,  at  which  time  its  [)opulati()n  was 
estimat(>d  at  5000.  This  was  a  very  discouraging 
proof  of  an  absolute  failure,  so  far,  in  the  work  of 
colonization,  and  yet  the  annual  expenses  of  admi- 
nistration had  been  gradually  increased,  and  now 
exceeded  500,000  livrcs. 

Salmon,  who  had  been  for  many  years  the  King's 
commissjiry  in  the  colony,  had  been  succeeded  by 
Lenormant,  who  had  hardly  entered  upon  the  duties 
of  his  office;,  when  he  began  to  quarn;!  with  the 
Marquis  of  Vaudreuil.  The  governor,  in  a  despatch  of 
the  6th  of  January,  174G,  informed  his  government 
that  the  commissary  retained  for  his  private  use,  all 
the  merchandise  which  he  ought  to  have  delivered  as 
presonts  to  the  Indians,  and  that  he  had  them  retailed 
by  his  clerk  to  the  inhabitants.  Jiy  which  oi)eration, 
the  Marquis  pretended  that  [..enormant  realized 
enormous  profits.  On  the  Oth  of  March,  De  Vau- 
dreuil reiterated  his  com|)laints  against  Lenormant, 
whom  he  accused  of  starving  the  troops  and  of  failing 
to  supply  the  dilferent  settlements  in  the  colony  with 
the  necessary  provisions,  and  the  Indians  with  the 
merchandise  that  they  had  a  right  to  expect.  "  iJy  his 
fiiult,"  said  he,  "  1  am  placed  in  a  very  difiicult  position, 
being  destitute  of  the  means  of  paying  for  scalps  and  of 
remuneratiuii  our  Indian  friends  and  allies." 


iilil 


On     tile    OOJ     „r    vf         1         -^ 

«  peace  l,ohv<.,.„  ,1,0  CImcht,      i'T'r. '"  '"■"«  ••'''«•" 

goods    Ju.    plundered.      On      '  •^''''''  '"'^  ^^''"^^ 

«"tn,<re,  De  Vaudrenil  mldTf  "^^"""^^  ^'^  ^his 
^'-".'"i<l  ^^.tisfhction,  an  oT^  ;  r^,'^""*  '''»  ^^^^^r  to 
^';';1<I  l.«  ^n,„,ted.  """'^  ^''"  P^-«'nise  that  it 

'rewards   the   oiu\   r.r  «i 

only  pracioablo  ono  .si  ,o,  V-  I''  ''^"  """^n  'I'" 
"nd  boca,„o  .lK„o„gl,|y  Low,? ,  ,?'  "  ?■"  ™""i»<.'d 
;>l'ore  ship.  dra„i„;f,^„,'  7  ;,  »,^''!!  "f  the  lialize, 
lave  I,eoi,  al.le  ,o  n„  ,1,,.„,,,     ' :  ,"      '''^'"^'"  '•=««  »atcr, 

iuid  it  lias  ever  ,i„ce    ,?        ,    "'"  *'"""'"  ""   <lie  l)ar 
from  eleven  Tee,  t      o,,';  „" ^ "",  "'",' ''  ''^  "'-i 
"■as  l.ut  seldon,  .|,a,  ve,,,^        '  "'"'  "  ''"<!'  '"  Hm  j, 
fifteen  foot  water  co  ,|,    ,        ""','«  '™"'  'I"''-™  ,„ 
w..l,o,„  .naking  ul  oft  wlrp  """"'V  ^"■'"""■«.  «"d 
'-gluened  of  half  ,|,oir  tl7;    rr    "'  '""'"«  ''"'-•■' 

'fco'-s.     i|„g  ,,„j,  measures 


ssippi. 

rived   lit 
^d    lorixr 
)iition  of 
ro  flieir 
linod  at 
^s   most 
?  about 
s.     But 
n   time 
being 
'd    tJie 
^>  who 
wliose 
f   this 
^er  to 
liiit  it 

?ineer 
Huent 
'The 
oliths 
The 
tlie 
lined 
iize, 
Iter, 

^'^, 
)<'ir ; 

ried 

It  Jt 

to 

md 

3en 

res 


PROPOSED  FOUTIFICATIONS  ON  THE  AIISSISSIPPI.      31 

r 

in  width  from  thirty  to  forty  fathoms,  and  tlic  current  is 
very  rapid." 

On  th(!  21th  of  November,  1716,  the  Marquis  of 
Vaudreuil  wrote;  to  his  government :  "  On  being  ap- 
prised of  the  dechiration  of  war,  I  visited  the  moutlih 
of  tlie  Mississippi.  From  the  mobihty  of  the  passes, 
and  from  the  want  of  soUdity  in  the  land  bordehng  on 
those  passes,  it  is  nearly  impossible  to  think  of  erecting 
fortifications  there.  It  is  only  necessary  to  preserve 
the  fort  which  already  exists  at  the  IJalize,  less  on 
account  of  its  being  etFcctive  as  a  means  of  defence, 
than  because  it  serves  as  a  place  of  dei)ot  for  our  com- 
merce with  the  S[)aniards.  Besides,  it  is  useful  to 
maintain  a  post  there,  from  which  we  can  keep  watch 
over  the  sea  coast,  and  get  timely  information  as  to 
what  may  be  going  on  in  the  gulf." 

France  being  at  war,  it  became  necessary  to  provide 
for  tin;  defence  of  Louisiana.  The  spot  which,  on  the 
Mississippi,  seemed  the  most  eligibU;  for  the  construc- 
tion of  ("ovtifications,  was  the  Plaqucmine  Turn,  then 
considered  as  being  thirty-three  miles  from  the  Balize. 
It  was  the  first  solid  jrround  to  be  met  with  on  cominif 

CD  f5 

from  sea,  and  on  that  account  had  been  selected  by 
tlu!  Conmiissary  Lenormant.  "  This  reason  appeared 
to  me,"  said  De  Vaudreuil,  in  one  of  his  despatches, 
"  to  be  a  good  one,  and  I  agreed  to  it,  because  fortifica- 
tions erected  at  that  spot  would  have  protected  that 
considerabh;  portion  of  the  country  lying  between 
New  Orleans  and  IMaqucmine  Turn.  But  on  re- 
flection, I  observed  (and  the  same  observation  struck 
with  ecpial  force  both  the  engineiT  and  the  port- 
master),  that  the  situation  of  that  Turn  presented  no 
obstacles  to  ships,  which  being  once  under  weigh, 
could  run  up  beyond  it  by  the  help  of  the  same  wind 
which  had   enabled  them  to  come  through  the  pass. 


» 


32 


PROPOSED  FORT,riCAT.O.N.S  ON  THE  mS8ISS,m. 


It  would  be   impossible   to   stop   them  with   .l,„  . 
e;g>.ee„.po„„ders,    which    are  '  he    ".ij  Jiee  1  Z 
arfllery  we  can   set   up   on   each   side  of  "^^  river 
becauso,  ava.hng    themselves    of  a    fresh    breeze    .he 

7nuWt   \    A  "  '■"'"'''  °f  «"'•  g™«  before  they 

could  be  fired  at  a  second  time.     To  command   thn^ 

bS:;  ':f";:i't'"',  """''""^ '°  ■■»-  """"'"- 

river  hL.         l^  'f"^  S»ns  on  each  side  of  the 
nvcr,  dose  to  each  other,  and  this  would  cost  immense 

wsn  LSior:-  rnstrjtirer:;- 

.i.e,^s,s.anceUm^htTa„ti;ltr^^^^^^^^^ 

me  ttt  ,1;  .T"""  ''^ '^™<ireuil,  "it  has  struck 
me  that  the  only  spot  on  the  river  which  we  could 

Tthe  l:«rr"""  7.\'-"y  eigh,cen.;:„nrr^ 
18  loe  J^ngh./,   Turn,  which  is  fifteen  miles  distant 

ships,  that  are  stopped  there  by  the  same  cast  and 

IP  so7i:"  T'  ""'^''  ''""  '^-"  -  fevorable  to  comf 

p  so  far.    Ships  cannot  turn  round  that  point  without 

he  south-west  wmd,  which  but  seldom  blows  frotn  jl 

to  January,  the  very  time  when  the  conquest  of  the 

country  is  to  be  undertaken  with   better  clmnces  of 

the":^;^7::  ""  "™'-  'I'--  B"' -PPolTthat 
tne  s.nps  ol  the  enemy  should  be  favored  with  a 
south-west  wind,  they  would    hardly    get    round   the 

Ir ::  id^r"'  '■"^  ■;""  -""^  ^  '.ainihen^is  v ; 

oungea  to  wait    for  an    easterly  wind   to  move  on 
Moreover,  it  must  be  observed  that  there  are  between 


i. 


PROPOSED    FORTIFU  ATIONS    0\    THE    MISSISSIPPI.       iJo 

the  plantations  cstablisliod  at  the  Turn,  lar^e  wooded 
tracts  of  land,  thick  with  intertwined  briers,  hranibh:;?, 
and  canes,  Ibrniing  impenetrable  jungles  which  tenni- 
natc  ill  swamps,  cut  up  with  deep  Avater  courses  and 
leading  to  ({uagniires.  Through  such  a  country,  pro- 
tected by  good  intrenchments  and  c'efended  by  some 
troops,  it  would  be  the  height  of  temerity  to  penetrate. 

"  Another  advantage  would  be,  the  great  facility  to 
concentrate  there  all  our  forces.  Th(;se  were  my 
reasons  for  not  hesitating  in  giving  the  pn^ferencc  to 
that  spot.  Therefore  I  have  determined  to  establish 
on  each  side  of  the  river,  at  those  points  where  ships 
must  come  to  catch  the  southwest  winds,  a  fort  made 
up  of  mud  and  fascines,  with  epaulments,  the  shelving 
sides  of  which  are  to  be  fenced  and  secured  with 
hurdles,  according  to  the  plans  and  drawings  of 
Deverges.  For  the  construction  of  these  fortifications, 
[  have  ordered,  jointly  with  Mr.  Lenormant,  the 
inhabitants  of  New  Orleans  and  of  the  neighboring 
country  to  send  in  the  fifth  of  their  negroes  during  six 
weeks.  I  hope  that,  in  ten  days,  there  will  be  a  battery 
of  ten  eighteen-pounders  in  each  fort.  It  would  be 
proper  to  send  sixteen  twenty-four-pounders  with  their 
balls,  and  fourteen  eighteen-pounders,  to  fill  i^pi^  all  the 
embrasures  which  overlook  the  river.  The  intrench- 
ments on  the  land  side  would  be  sufficiently  fortified 
with  the  four  ten-pounders  we  have  at  New  Orleans. 
With  this  additional  supply,  the  colony  would  be 
susceptible  of  defence." 

It  will  be  recollected  that  Bienville  had  been  of 
opinion  that  fortifications  could  be  erected  at  the 
Balize  ;  and  that  he  had,  in  1741,  contracted  with 
Dubreuil  for  the  partial  construction  of  fortifications, 
for  which  he  had  agreed  to  pay  297,382  livres.  The 
engineer,  Deverges,  had  also  decided  in  favor  of  the 

3 


34 


MEANS   OF    DEFENCE    OF    TIIK    COLONY. 


possibility  of  ,>rectino-  eflbctive  ibrtificutionH  at  the 
lialize,  and  had  cHtiniated  their  co.st  at  5:J2,1()8  hvres 
1  he  Marquis  of  Vuudreuil  entertained,  as  it  is  seen 
a  (hHe,.ent  view  of  the  rjiicstion,  and  pref<  rred  the' 
i^nglisii  I  urn  ;  b„t  modern  engineers  liave  pronounced 
hemsch  es  m  favor  of  the  site  ciiusen  by  I.enonnant, 
the  1  Imiuenunc  Turn,  where  now  stand  the  fortifica- 
tions  called  Forts  Jackson  and  St.  IMiilip 

On   the    2Glh   of  November,   the  Marquis  wrote  to 
he  Irench  government :    "  I  received,    in    September 
last,    the   letter   ot   the  Oth  of  May,  in  which   I  was 
informed  that   three  ships  of  the  line  and  r>ne  frigate 
had    left   Lngland,    in   the  month  of  April,  under  the 
command  of  Admiral  Knowles,   who  was  to  stop   at 
Antigua  and  then  at  Jamaica.      It   is   supposed   that 
this  armament  is  destined  to  ojjerate  against  Louisiana. 
1  Have  also    been    informed  that   General   Ocrlethorpe 
was    to    return    shortly    to    Georgia   with    additional 
troops,    and   that,   perhaps.    Admiral    Knowles    would 
combing  with  l.im   in  Florida.     [  gave  information  of 
It.  to  the  GoNcrnors  of  Pensacola,  St.  Marc,  and  St 
Augustin. 

"  I  am  prepared  for  any  event  that  may  occur.     J 
have  the  strong  will   to  be  equal  to  the  emergency, 
whatever  it  may  be,  but  I  am  sadly  deficient  in  means 
to   back    this   will.       I   have    nothing    wherewith    to 
defend  the  Last  Pass,  where  a  new  channel  has  formed 
itself  in  the  parts  nearest  to  the  Balize.     This  channel 
IS  trom  fifteen  to  sixteen  feet  deep  on  the  bar  at  low 
water,  and  measures  in  length    two  hundred  fathoms, 
through  the  battures  which  advance  most  into  the  sea 
in  the  shape  of  a  liorse-shoe.     This  channel  is  divided 
into  three  outlets,  or  mouths.     Two  of  these  outlets  are 
froni  ten  to  twenty-five  fathoms  in  width  each,  and  the 
third  from  thirty  to  forty,  and  they  are  separated  from 


TERRIBLE    HURRICANE    IN    LOUISIANA. 


35 


i  at  the 
>8  livres. 
is  soci), 
ircd  the 
iiounced 
loriiuint, 
fortifica- 

vrotc  to 
ptemher 
I   I  was 

frigate 
der  the 
stop  at 
ed  tliaf 
uisiana. 
ethorpe 
ditiona] 

would 
itiori  of 
and  St. 

cur.     J 
rgcncy, 
means 
ith    to 
formed 
;liannel 
at  low- 
thorns, 
le  sea, 
livided 
3ts  are 
ud  the 
d  from 


each  other  by  battures  and  mounds  of  loam,  or  unctu- 
ous, slimy,  and  adhesive  earth  emerging  from  the  sea. 
The  largest  of  these  outlets  is  on  the  right  as  you 
come  in.  We  have  labored  to  fortify  this  new  pasB 
with  the  help  of  the  planters,  who  would  have  co- 
operated with  more  efficiency  and  readiness,  if  Mr. 
Lenormant  had  treated  them  differently.  But  he  has 
even  refused  to  supply  them  with  the  necessary  tools, 
with  provisions  for  the  subsistence  of  their  negroes,  and 
with  means  of  transportation.  Latterly  he  went  so 
far  as  to  undertake  to  force  them  to  complete  the 
fortifications,  to  the  injury  of  their  crops.  It  was  an 
unjust  pretension,  which  was  beginning  to  irritate  the 
planters.  I  thought  it  proper,  therefore,  not  to  allow 
him  to  push  the  thing  farther." 

"  With  regard  to  the  forces  of  the  colony,  I  can 
dispose  of  four  hundred  white  men,  five  or  six  hundred 
Indians  belonging  to  the  small  nations,  and  from  two 
to  three  hundred  negroes  who  are  to  be  relied  upon. 
But  we  are  wanting  in  arms  and  ammunition." 

This  was  Louisiana  in  1746.  We  have  had  its 
substitute  under  our  eye  in  1846.  What  a  transforma- 
tion !     What  a  tale  of  wonder  !     It  beggars  comment ! 

Miserable  as  it  was,  the  colony's  situation  was  made 
still  worse  by  a  hurricane,  as  terrible  as  those  which 
had  committed  such  damage  in  1740.  A  portion  of 
the  crops  was  destroyed,  and  the  lower  part  of 
Louisiana  would  have  been  exposed  to  famine,  if 
assistance  had  not  promptly  come  from  the  Illinois 
district,  which  annually  supplied  New  Orleans  with  a 
great  quantity  of  flour.  The  boats  from  Illinois  used 
to  arrive  at  that  town  towards  the  end  of  December, 
and  to  depart  in  January.  In  those  days,  it  is  certam 
that  hurricanes  were  more  frequent  than  in  ours. 
Nor  is  it  to  be  wondered  at,  since  it  is  well  known  that 


3fi 


i.KNORM ant's  ri:m\rks  us  paper  money. 


tl.o  physical  laws  which  rulo  .-,  wildorncss  arc  ffroatlv 
mo,hfi,d,  ,n  j»ro,.ortio„  as  it  is  u,,uh,ally  convort.d 
.nto  .ho  ,,ho(lo  „t  dvihzation.  [f,  soon.s  that,  as  a 
r.nvnr(!  or  tho  patient  and  pcrscvcrin^r  h.hor  of  man 
nat,,n>  disrohos  horsolf  of  her  primitive  rndrnoss,  and 
that  thr  d<.r,.(>n1s,  coasin^r  their  old  stn.ir.|os,  aro 
Hoothcd  nito  ^rcntlenoss. 

lA'norrnant,  whoso  provinoo  it  w.-.s,  in  his  capacity 
o    mt(«ndm,t  conunissary,  to  prosido  ovor  tho  finances 
of  tho  col(,ny,  rnado  on  thoin  a  report,  in  which  ho  said  • 
As  soon  as  il,<"  pap«.r  mon(>y  he^ran  to  lose  its  value 
here   was   an   on<rer  demand   for  dollars,  which  were 
hought  at  hicrhor  or  lower  prices,  in  proportion  to   the 
warns  ol  purchasers    and  tho  cupidity  or  speculating 
dvuJ.ty  ol  sellers.     Hence  the  origin  of  nil  the  johhina 
w.r.ch  took  place  in  th(>  colony,  in  relation  to  "hills  ol" 
exchange     and     dollars.      It     increased    considerably 
clurmg  the  years   1741,  1742,  and   174:J,  but  it  would 
bod.hcult  to  convey  an  accurate  idea  of  the  Ibrment 
winch  sprung  up  in  the  colony  on  that  occasion,  of  the 
number  of  transactions    incidental  thereto,  and  of  the 
sk,    w.th  which  several   individuals  availed  themselves 
of   hose  circurnstances,  to  the  detriment  of  the  interests 
of  the  king  and  the  welfare  of  the  colony." 

"  With  regard  to  the  (luestion,  whether  it  would  be 
proper  to  venture  on  another  on.ission  of  papcn-  money, 
I  rhmk  that  It  would  be  attended  with  considerabh' 
difficulties,  m  as  much  as  the  quantity  of  paper  to  be 
emitted  cannot  be  known  in  advance,  no  more  than  the 

"  Every  thing  ,s  to  be  feared  from  the  avidity  of  the 
".habitants  of  this  colony,  and  from  their  disposition 
to  stock-jobbing.  Their  industry,  of  which  a  better 
use  might  have  been  made,  has,  at  all  times,  taken  this 


^ 


I :. 


LENORMANTS    KEMaUKS   ON    PAPER    MONEY. 


ui 


aro 


bad  diroction ;  lor,  alllioutjli  |ol)l)iiit^  on  the  paper 
currtiiicy  of  th(^  colony,  on  dollar.s  and  bills  of  o- 
chan^o,  bciran  only  in  1737,  jobbing  on  the.  nier- 
cliandise  in  tlio  kin<^'s  warclionsoH,  and  on  every  tliint; 
which  was  susceptible  of  it,  has  always  been  a  liivoritc 
occupation  in  tlu^  colony.  It  may  be  said  that  it  is 
the  only  pursuit  to  w  hich  the  inhabitants  have  steadily 
adhered,  much  to  llu^  prejudice  of  the  nobliu-  one  o| 
improvin*^  the  lands,  and  in  utter  disr(;«j5ard  of  otij<;r 
resources,  which,  if  attended  to,  would  put  the  colony 
in  a  llourishiufT  condition." 

"I  admit  that  another  emission  of  paper  money,  wi!l 
afford  relief  to  the  treasury  of  the  marine  de|)artment 
at  home;  but  a  relief,  which  would  only  b(^  temporary, 
and  would  not  e\c(>ed  the  duration  of  one  year,  w ould 
not  counterbalance  the  risks  which  are  inseparabie 
from  the  introduction  and  existence  of  this  khid  of 
currency  in  the  country." 

Thus,  a  century  a«|o,  Lenormant  wrote,  in  anticipa- 
tion, the  history  of  the  deleterious  effects  of  a  system, 
which  we  lately  saw  stretched  to  its  fullest  extent, 
until  its  a[)parently  stroni^  texture  snaj)ped  under  the 
hands  by  which  it  had  been  woven.  But  the  hotch- 
potch of  corruption,  of  iiuancial  (rambling,  of  frantic 
stock-jobbing  and  of  thieving  speculation,  the  mush- 
room wealth  of  the  few  amidst  the  sudden  ruin  of  tlie 
many,  and  the  mass  of  lasting  depravation  and  misery, 
which  ap[):Llled  our  sight,  from  the  year  ISii.j  to  ISIA, 
throw  into  the  shade  all  the  Ibregone  calamities  which 
paper  money,  ill  devised  and  more  foolishly  applied, 
had  entailed  upim  the  colony  since  its  foundatio':. 
The  historical  records  of  the  world  teem  with  tlie 
similarity  of  causes  and  effects  through  the  long 
avenue  of  ages,  on  which  the  eye  of  study  looks  back 
with  distinct  vision,  but  it  may  be  more  than  doubted 


ii 


^■"> 


38 


EXTENT    OF    THE    NEW   ORLEANS    DISTRICT. 


whother,  from  the  observation  of  past  events  and  Us 
deductions,  any  practical  lesson  has  ever  been  derived 
for  the  benefit  of  mankind.  i^envcd 

On  the  11th  of  May,  in  the  year  1747,  the  Marquis 

arisen  a.  to  the  precise  extent  of  the  New  Orleans 
distnct,  <K,creed  that  it  began  at  the  mouth  of  he 
Mississippi,  mduding  both  banks  up  to  the  German 

emr.i,,ccd  al»f,  Bayou  St.  Jolm,  and  that  part  of  thn 
country,  hack  of  the  town,  which  wa.s  origSy  cai'd 
Chantilly  frona  the  princely  scat  of  the"  CoLlfi,, 
trance;  but  wh.ch,  in  on,  day.s,  is  known  „„"lc  tl^e 
appclla  ,„n  of  Gentilly,  into  which  Chantilly  ha  been 
gradually  corrupted.  ^ 

The  fear   of    being   attacked  by   the   Enp-li^h    «f;ii 
01  ti  e  loth  of  May,  he  connnunicated  to  his  eovorn- 

over  t^,e  Bal  e"h       "!'',"*  '"'""  °'  "«'"  f"-"  «»'«' 
over  tne  Bahze  bar,  winch  was  rapi«l|y  fi||i„„  „„    ,,„ 

month   of  the   Mississippi,   „„d   withdrew   two   tliirds 

<f  the  garrison,    leaving   hut  one  eight-poinider  and 

wo  foni-pounders  with  a  detachment  of  fiftees.  Idlers 

and  one  pilot,  to  tire  signal  guns  when  necessary    for 

he  benefit  o    the  French  ships.     The  officer  «"  o  | '  d 

the  conrniMUKl  of  this  detachment  was  instrncted  to  be 

on  the  look-ont,  and  to  abandon  his  post  anT  n  ,  ^p  'o 

New  Orleans  with  his  men,  whenever  he  should  IcTcrv 

together  several  ships  of  the  enemy.     De  Va  idS 

"Inch  the  English  were  likelv  to  come  as  it  ,..,1 
seventeen  feet  deep,  and  the  French  1  ;'  Z  C„  / 
t'-l  lately  got  over  the  bar  with  the  gri^tesT  f^cl;^: 


%*»M- 


CIVIL   WAR    AMONG    THE    CIIOCTAWS. 


39 


jii 

1 


"  I  send,"  wrote  Do  Vaudreuil,  '*  two  plans  and 
estimates  for  two  forts,  one  of  which  is  to  he  at 
the  Plaqnemine  Turn,  a  situation  which  Lenorniant 
still  continues  to  extol.  Tn  addition  to  the  reasons 
which  I  have  already  given  against  selecting  thnt  spot. 
[  must  say  that  the  ground  is  only  two  feet  and  a  half 
ahove  the  lowest  water  mark,  and  is  covered  with  one 
foot  water,  when  the  river  overflows.  Moreover,  it  is 
probable  that  the  ground  is  not  sufficiently  solid  to  bear 
up  the  works  of  fortification,  and  such  is  the  opinion  of 
the  engineer,  Deverges,  whose  knowledge  is  niatiu'edby 
long  ex])ericnce.  At  the  I'jnglish  Turn,  the  ground  is 
raised  nine  or  ten  fef^t  above  the  lowest  water  mark, 
and  can  bear  up  the  weight  of  any  kind  of  work.  It  is 
urgent  to  determine,  as  soon  as  possible,  on  the  choice 
of  the  site  which  is  to  be  fortified." 

Thus,  the  French  government  had  the  unpleasant 
prospect  of  additional  expenses,  to  a  large  amount, 
to  be  incurred  for  the  protection  of  Louisiana,  when 
the  current  expenses  of  the  colony,  for  1717,  had 
already,  before  the  expiration  of  the  year,  exceeded 
those  of  the  preceding  ones,  and  had  risen  to  r)()(),14r) 
livres. 

When  the  year  1718  dawned  upon  the  colonv,  the 
apprehension  of  British  invasion  had  not  abated,  and 
the  insecurity  of  the  colonists  was  made  greater,  by  th(> 
feeling  of  enmity  against  the  French,  which  had  been 
gradually  instilled  into  a  considerable  jjortion  of  the 
Choctaw  nation.  It  will  hi  recollected  that,  in  171f). 
Ued  Shoe  had  nun-dc^ed  tlu  Chevalier  de  Verbois,  and 
several  trade  rs,  for  ^\llieh  deed  no  satisfaction  liad  as 
yet  been  given,  in  spite  of  t  le  re[)eated  demands  and 
exiitions  of  the  Marquis  of  Vaudreuil.  At  the  befin- 
ning  of  1718,  the  animosity  between  the  French  and 
the    Fnglish  party  among  tlie  Clioctaws  ran   so   high, 


10 


OIIHWas    lOinil,,,;,,    us      I,,,;    ,  no,    ,  UVN. 


''"'■''"''    I''" '^    "'■"•   '"   «'«"  nunonlv.    an.l   ur.r   ,|„.,, 

'•"■;    '""'••'     "^"/^-       '''•'<'>     'I'M'I-.I M,.l|     I.H.Ml,.     (o 

<'W.',Mln,.U   IronMrMun,..,      <  >n.  of  ,1,.....-  |.„n.ls  ...nrkr.l 

'';■     ""••"""   ,^'"'"' '".    "'-^<•    ^<M^    O,!..;.,,,.: ,1,, 

'""'"     \'"      "■    ""■'•   '^'"••*'  ""!"«•   •". Mm.lnllHM 

""'■•    ;""'    '"•"'•'    '"•'    'la.i.'.l.l.T    |,ns.,n..r.     T|,..v    „Imo 

:,?;■'■"''    '•^y'    "'"•••   '•'-' "   ^"xl   1"..   M.uk.on.rn 

'•'"••'"'•"I;     l''.^.!     ...1.  roMsl.nufM,,..  ,|k„  ,,,...(..1(1,, 
piM.Mr,..     alM.ulo.w.l    ,1,,,,   |„„„,,,^    ^„„,   ,,,,,,^,    ^,^^^^_^    ^^^ 

7"    <'''''""^'"'tlMl...„„....,,,.s.       To.,,,.!    (h,,,,    iM.k 
"^^"^^  '"■'■"'-:'">    <"•   "M-    (|,n.,|s,  ^n,l(.,n,^,,|,,,„.  ,,; 

f'""'^"""" ;"  i"-<'-<'"-,M..n.„.. .i,c,.i,..,..,„  ,,■„,„.,„ 

,  ""••"""7^  -'■  •i^",.,.,- 1.....:.„ ,. ,,.,  :,„  ,„„ 
^^•;; •''"'"'•  ;"'"<"• 'I— ..<.,...ss...i ,:,:.„,„ 

^"'•'    -'-'"'"l^'    'l-^     lu.l   .luM.lo„..|,    „ ,,   ,j;. 

;;;;■•'"';'  ^'I'l"-''-.:....:.  ...n  .,,„„,„,,  , ,^;;. ,,^- 

'""  •  ""■  '•••"•  •"■ ""'  ••" ^  i-i  ..<•.■...„...  ,„  ..„  ,; 

,    "  *  "V';  ''"'•  •■" ""'  '"'"'•  "'••'  '-'^'"  '>.-M..i 

'■7''7';'''''';'''^'-^<"''-'''''N.Ni..sou,,iM.,,,i,...,,,,H,,H' 

•'--i^Huv    i,v,„    ,1,..    i:„.,,..,,,    ,,,    ,„^^„,,,^, 


I 


iii.u  Niioi;  liii.i.ioii. 


It 


f 


ul'  Iho  I'1ii<>,IimIi  |)iirlv  xixl  lvill*'<l  lliii'lmi  intti,  miiiomm 
ulioin  wnr  Honir  (iI!i|iii;'ihmIi<(I  rlinlM.  'I'lic  ( 'liocliiu  m 
rnnidlv  l<»  (lie  I'lij'Ji  ill,  Ixiii;'  <l<  (cniiilird  |o  liiivc  llinr 
rrv<'ii;M',    iillin  ked  in  llicir  liii  ii,    on  lln'   hilli  nl"  An;j,nHl, 

;i  viIIii;m'  of  ll |t|>o,Mih<    HHinMi.      Tlir    li«'lil  uiiM    liiorr 

oltMliiiiilti  lliiin  IM  i>riirnillv  '''*'  <'*'"'*'  ■"  ''xliiin  u.'iiliirr, 
iiii<l  tlh'  loMsc.i  wri'c  linn  V  on  liulli  HJdrM,  Iml  IIk'  iiIIi*<m 
oC  Ihc  l'",n;'liMli  wnc  n|»||i>,.<l  (o  I'ivt'  wny,  iinil  wi'ir 
holly  |Mii;inr(l  ii  (IimIjmmt  oI  liiiir  iiiil<  M.  ll  wiiM  <:ili 
nitiird  lliiil  lliiy  l(  ll  on  llic  yionnd  ri'dily  men  Killed, 
iiiid  lliiil  llicir  woniidrd,  <»r\\lioni  iirvrnil  dird  niilt 
Mr<|n(nllv,  iiinoimlcd  iil  Imsl  lo  llir  M;inir  nmiiJHT. 
Scvri;d  ollirr  hnlllrM,  ill  wlinli  tlir  I'lmrli  |»;iily 
iilwiiNM  li;id  llif  ;id\iinlii;^c,  ;'|(('rddy  lollowrd;  niiil  llir 
('JioiliiwM,  liriii;'^  iii.idc  cooler  niid  \\\:uv  liy  Hiirli 
r(»|tionM  iind  iTjiciiIrd  Iderdill,";.',  Imhiiii  lo  di.rovcr 
lli.il  llir\  uriT  iiimiliiliilin;!;  llicir  own  nnlioii  lor  IIm^ 
nlliin.-ilc  hnirlil  ol'  llie  l'liii>li;|i  and  ol'llir  l''n'iirli,  who 
weir  i>oadni<'  liicni  on  willi  iniilnid  cninhilioii  iind 
MnliMliirlioii.  'I'linrwisr  nicii  lirld  Mrvcial  «oiiimiI;',  and 
il  was  al  la;;|  drlnniiiicd  lo  niaKf  away  willi  Kcd  Shoe, 
who  \\as  llir  rliirr  oltshK'lr  lo  llif  ifsloral  ion  ol  jKace. 
In  (-onsr(|iicn(-<-  of  ihis  dclriniinalion,  IIiIm  n-ldnalrd 
warrior  was  kilird,  ai  he  wa:i  reliirniii'  lo  Imm  villa^M- 
nmIIi  a  ronvoy  of  l''ii;di,di  inerchaiidi.ie.  TliiM  Mow 
nii^lil  have  |nd\ed  elleclise,  il  llie  uimmIm  iilid  llieir 
{''n/^lish  owners  had  also  he:  n  destroyed  willi  l{<'d 
Shoe;  hul  such  was  not  the  rase,  and  llie  rji;.'liHli, 
availin;^  Iheniselves  ol  iIm-  means  ihey  had  on  hand  lo 
hi'ilie  lii<>  Indians,  ;j,alliered  a  <M)odly  nninlter  of 
parlisaiis,  al  (he  head  of  whom  ihev  plaeed  a  hrolher  ol' 
l\ed  Siioe,  and  succeeded  ill  ihns  kee|Hlin  ii|i  llie  civil 
war.  The  i'rj'iM'h  cslahlishmeiilM  were  a^aiii  allacked, 
iilid  some  [lersoiis  were  killed.  'V\\r  liiinrhsh  look 
a(lvanla<^c  of  llie   renewal  of"  lioslililies,  lo  |^ivc   more 


^III!! 


W  II 


42 


RENEWAL   OF    iroSTILITIES, 


extension  to   tlicir    coninierco      Tluf   fS-nn.!  p  - 

io",c<i'.i    V   ^'^  ■'''':  """='"■'•  "'"'  ■-'■^'y  l'o«>« 

h?,n        •      ^'r''   ''"■""'   '""'*'«■"'  in  >«"l>"«ca,lc  with 

k    0.1,  but  tlic  rest  cscapo,!,  leaving  all  the  l,or«o,  of 
ctndTZ'   '"'"    ""'  ™"    "'»"°'  ■"   "-    ^'^^  "f 

n„t  r   ,       "'■"  •'■•■'I'K'f,  acted  with  an  encr..v  which 
3l.aquis    of  \  aiulivui  ,      n     lran'sinifth.,r    t..    )• 

mr ":  "f-"","^  """"■-  '''^""'"-'■'-  -''; 

thel-,Tl     r        ""'   '■'■•'   '"""""'    I'"''   cone,.ivcd   for 
t  ei,    1  ffc  '  f™"'r''""S  'l'"  -""""OS.  of  their  fore' .  " 
h.n  different  selll,,nent.s  and  lo  the  h,-lief  which  I- 

warHo:l,V;;:':,j;;:;!/'"'"°"'"'"^^^ 

In<li.?n'"w'!':''  V^r''  '"■/'■"'"  """""■'••  ""-  ••""l^'<-ity  of  ,he 

2.;p.el.a.s,a,eofa,arn,,,,,„t,rMa      L       W 
"'  bj   h,«  presence,  and  paid  a  vi.i,  ,„  ,|,!„'  i,,,,,! 


TIXERANT    DISCOMFITEn    BY    CHOCTAW    HUNTERS.     43 


111 


English, 


Whilst  at  Mobile,  he  caused  every  house  to  l)e  fortified 
with  palisades,  and  stationed  all  the  nciighboring  small 
nations  on  the  avenues  to  the  town,  to  guard  it  against 
surprise. 

It  was  during  the  absence  of  Vaudrcuil,  that  the 
sportsmen  of  whom  I  have  spoken  were  nuu'dercd 
near  New  Orleans.  Noyan,  whom  Vaudrcuil  had  left 
in  command  diu'ing  his  absence,  sent  fifty  men,  one 
half  of  the  line  and  the  other  half  of  the  militia,  to 
scour  the  country  in  search  of  the  marauders.  This 
detachment,  connnanded  by  Tixeraut,  met  a  party  of 
Choctaw  hunters,  whom  the  Fr(>nch  took  to  be  the 
enemy  they  were  looking  after,  and  two  men  were 
sent  to  reconnoitre.  But  they  were  discovered  by 
three  Choctaws  who  were  on  the  watch,  and  who 
uttered  their  customary  shrieks,  to  give  warning  to 
the  rest  of  their  party.  The  two  Frenchmen  took 
immediately  to  their  lieels,  and  having  joined  their 
countrymen,  comuumicated  to  them  tlie  panic  with 
which  they  had  been  seized.  The  whole  detachment 
retreated  in  haste,  and  did  not  think  themselves  safe, 
until  they  liad  put  a  bayou  between  them  and  what 
they  suj)posed  to  bo  the  enemy.  Not  satisfied  with 
this  natural  protection,  they  set  to  work  to  fortify 
themselves.  When  the  Indians  saw  the  French  retreat 
in  a  manner  which  resembled  a  flight,  they,  in  the 
excitement  of  the  momcMit,  fired  a  few  shots,  which 
killed  one  soldier  and  wounded  two.  But  the  Fn^nch 
and  the  Indians  having  come  to  a  parley,  the  chief  of 
the  Indians  apologized  for  what  had  taken  place,  and 
aflirmed  that  the  shots  had  been  fired,  not  by  his  men, 
but  by  some  runaway  negroes  whom  he  ofiered  to 
deliver  up  to  the  French.  Thus  ended  this  affray; 
but  the  Manjuis  of  Vaudrcuil,  having  heard  of  it,  was 
highly  incensed  at  the  want  of  firmness  exhibited  by 


V  III 


41  T.IE  .,VmA.VS  ATTA,  K  TU«  «,;„„,VN  <„AST  PLAN, l.KS. 

the  I'V,.,,,-!,.     Ho  c(Mi,|>l„incd  l,itl,.,ly   lo  liis   .r„v,.,-n 
".ent  Of  ,1,..   e.„ul„ct  ot  Tix..n„„,  Lw        „m       .  " 

"'""".  '"•   ';•"' 'l.-unk.,..l,    u,„l   ,|,i,  ,„lie,.r    Is 

.gnoininioMslv  ,lis,„is«.,l  Ih.ni  Ihc  ,ir„,y. 

more    lu.nsso.l    l,y    ,|,e    i„e.    .     .    of   ,l,o    IL    ," 
These   au.d<«   I ollowed   elo.e   .       ..,o  l.oeh  of  .   "  h 

,;    '  ;  '    '''"■'  """^  "'<"•  ""^  I ]'^'""'g  "f  the  events 

wl  eh  I  have  .yhue.l,  a  parly  of  Indi.,,.,  ,„a<lo  their 
api, ranee  on  the  plantation  oC  a  ,nan,  ealld  Cl.oval, 
-It  the  (....rnian  („ast,  seized  the  arms  of  a  ,nnnl,cr  of 

«n(     «ho,   l,„d,ng   themselves   d,.stitnte   of  all   n.eans 

si ,  .i  r,? '  r' '"  •"••" '  "^  ""•'  '^'•"■-'■<' «'-  ^^'i'-"- 

«I>I>|,  «ill.   the   c.veeptnn,  of  two  ,vl,it,.   aion,    aanied 
ionch,.rean  an.l   Ronssean,   «ho  r..,nained    «i,l,   t,™ 

I  i>e    the   Jndians   out   of  a   house  ,vl,ich  thcy  »oro 
I'lnndenng      The    ,«o    iM-enelnn,.,   ,v,.re   soo„    killed 

nelo^"  T  T  ■'"'""''  "'"  •"  ^"^'^'1'  ""■'"'  '""  ""■  'wo 
l.od,es  of  then-  masters,  that  they  l<ill,,|  ,„„  I„,liaus 
and  .Irove  the  rest  Lack  into  the  house.  Tho  nc-roes 
clnng  to  ,1,0  hattle-ficld,  near  the  corpses,  whici  Ch 

o  1,1        .  ','  "•*  ''  ''""  "■"'"  "'<-  l'""^'-.  ^""1  Hie 

t  icn   that   this    hravc    man    thoufrht   of   retreat     anil 

nbtd  Mteani.     In  sp.te  of  the  loss  of  l,l„„d,  I,,-  had 
swum  n,ore  than  halfway  across  the  Mississip,,,  „■    ! 
he  was  picked  up  l,y  a  boat.  ' 

The   rndians,  having  no  further  resistance  to  over- 
cotne,  tssued  out  of  their  stronghold,  and  were  ,.oi;  - 


f 


KAHV  Tin:  DANCING  MASTIMl  RKIM  LSKS  TIIi:  INDIANS.     45 


from  Olio  j)ljiiitnlion  to  another  in  sonrcli  of  j)Iun(lor, 
when  thoy  met  a  well  known  dnncin<r  master  of  New 
Orleans,  nnmed  Ttahy.  }]v  was  hyperholicnlly  tall, 
thin,  and  snilow  ;  his  sunken  che<.'ks  almost  kiss<'d  each 
other  under  the  areh  of  his  curv(;d  nose,  and  his  small 
t\\inklin<i;  j^rey  eyes,  ujider  tlieir  shag<^y  and  hushy 
hrows,  looked  out  with  a  melancholy  expression,  and 
s(|uin1ed  ri<rht  iuid  left,  in  an  0[)positc  direction  to  each 
other,  as  if  ihey  were  both,  each  on  its  own  account, 
anxiously  in  search  f)f  the  lost  substance  belonijfino'  to 
th(!  body  of  which  they  formed  a  [)art.  Tho  eccentri- 
cities of  13aby's  mind,  as  well  as  those  of  his  physical 
or^ani/ation,  had  made  him  famous  in  the  colony,  and 
th(^  doleful  mien  with  which  ho  used  to  give  his  lessons, 
had  gained  him  the  appellation  of  the  Don  Quixote 
of  daiirin^.  IJaby,  when  s[)ied  by  the  Indians,  was 
mount(Ml  on  a  small  creolc  donkey,  as  lean  and  uncouth 
as  himself,  and  on  which  he  held  himself  up,  as 
niiijestically  ?rect  as  if  he  stood  ready  to  dance  the 
court  minuet;  his  head  was  protected  against  the  rays 
of  the  sun  by  a  grey  beaver  as  large  as  an  umbrella; 
the  heels  of  his  long  legs,  armed  with  seven  inch 
Mexican  rowels,  were  almost  sweej)ing  the  ground, 
so  that  it  seemed  ai^  if  both  man  and  beast  were  walk- 
ing together,  and  it  was  doubtful  which  one  carried 
the  other,  if  carrying  there  was.  The  Indians,  who 
are  not  prone  to  laughter,  were,  however,  moved  to  it 
by  this  strange  apparition,  and  resolved  to  take  alive 
the  quadruped  and  the  biped.  With  eager  competi- 
tion and  Avith  deafening  shouts  they  rushed  upon  poor 
Baby,  under  the  impression  that  he  would  be  an  easy 
prey,  but  they  were  soon  undeceived.  IJaby  had  no 
other  weapon  than  a  hunting  knife,  but  his  long  arm 
brandished  it  with  so  fearful  a  rapidity  and  action,  his 
long  and  nutsrulur  legs  gave  such  kicks,  his  elongated 


iG 


DIOATH   OF    BABY-rLCsr    OF    I  „!•:    VEAK     1718. 


r<Mt    Mu.ttrd  surh  ,,  van.ty  of  uuv.My  sc.,„hIs    ,|,.u 
Mn  .U.S  shn,.M.ack   in  ^^ 

,  """'  I ■"l,l"imc,„l,,<l  s,.|i;  „iih  t,,i  ,„•  t,v,.|v,.  l,|.„.| 

.oys  an,!  «,*  «|,o,„  I,..  l„„l  s,„|„.,-,.,l  („.,.,!       ,„  '  j  t 

;p;f,.:i:r:;;r';;:r';;;;j-:;!--;;-;^ 

Ih,,    ,l„.y  drnvo  ,l,n„  a„„y,  „f,..r  hav.n.  w.    ,„        l! 
ol  thorn  <im,.-cr„„.,ly.     Hut  lial.y  reciv;!  in  (I      , ','■ 

n,.  Vm,dr,,,il,  on  l„.i„s  inform,.,!  of  (l,i.,  nlluck    .onf 

"nmc.l,nl,.y  «ev,.n,l  ,l,.,„clnn,.„ls  of  ,-, I  ;:,';, 

and   fnond  V  Indinns    in   .,n  ti       i-       r  "'">    ""'""U 

re,ro„,i„,  cno:'"::^;'  di  y"  ^ ':;;:'"";:,:":;"  "r 

•not  .1,0  Cl,oo.a;.,  on  .„o  lia  ■'  n  S  '  .,„    '"  J,,:™" 
-xharp  onconntor  ,„oic  pinoo.    AN  ,ho  ,.oo^^  ,„,„•' 
^  n,   l>rov,«,ons,   boa..,  an.l  |,ri.,.„,.,,  „,■    i,/™     "  " 
fcM,mo,hc  pos«.si„nof,l,oFr..nch;  an,l  .wo  o     Tf 
thc8c  marau,lo,s,  who  ,ia»ho,|  i„,,„    ,|,^  ™,„nns    ■,,  1 
wore  los.  s.ght  of,  conW  make  .l,oir  ccap,     " "  '  i, ' 
wntos  .ho  Mar,,„is  of  Vandronil,  wi.l,  "'o.lo  .1,  J  I  of 
con.,,np.,  "  wha.  ha,  causo.l  so  nn.oh  ■Z„<,rf 
mhahitants   of  iho   (iormm  •<„„.,  "'" 

Now  Orleans   wo^oTr  M.IIT  hr',. t?  o°f 
iniiijim  or  iiic  Choctaw  warriors      lint  i  i.  i 

;hongh.  ,ha.  ,horo  wore.  a.  .'no:^  n,    '  ,  r  "   ^.n^'S 
twelve  .0  hfteon  vagabonds,  who,  knowing  ,l,o Hd^" 


1718. 


f 


f 


viKWS  OF  Tin:  <iovi:iiNMi„'VT  ON  <;oiyiMi:a(;i:.       17 


n<ls,  tlijil 
iiirii<r|,f, 

lOtl   (Jllil- 

Jindwlio 

popiilii- 

.^Iron^ly 

liiid  j)iit 

imH(>lv(>H 

JndiaiiH, 
led  OIK? 

H!    lU'cIv 

I  in  fii(> 
lie   liad 

k,  sont 
militia, 
icli  t\w. 
I'lonch 
li«  !•(!  a 
nmimi- 
fndians 
^n\y  of 
s  and 
'lis  is," 
rco  of 
If  the 

DSC   of 
3p     of 

most 
Iways 

from 
nidity 


of  t!i(!  (icniiiiiiH,  had  conu;  to  stoni  aomo  of  tlioir 
lU'trrocs  Willi  (ho  intention  of  s(;llin^r  th<;in  to  thr 
I':n^r|i,sh;' 

Tho  Manjuis  \v(>nt  <m  .sayin<r  that  a  hiack  woman, 
who  had  b(M;n  mad<!  prisoncM-  hy  these;  Indians,  iidorrmid 
him  that  they  wore  thirt(!en  in  nnmlxir,  as  he  had 
always  j)resnme(l ;  and  \h)  coniplaiiuid  of  1  Ik;  want  of 
ener<,7  showed  hy  IIk;  Chevalier  D'Arenshoiirg,  who 
commanded  at  IIk;  (icrmaii  Coast,  arKl  who,  with  a 
force  of  one  hundred  aiKl  twenty  to  one  luuKlrc'd  and 
thirty  kkmi  whom  he  had  under  his  orders,  could  not 
act  in  tiin«!  to  check  the  (hipredations  of  a  iiandful  of 
Indians,  or  intercept  thcur  fli^rht.  Thus  closed  the 
year  1718.  It  proved  a  very  unquie^t  arKl  onerous 
one  to  the  colony,  the  expenses  of  which  amounted  to 
r);J!),'J()5  livrcs. 

On  tho  2d  of  January,  1719,  Maurcp  is,  who  was 
then  at  the  head  of  tho  gov(;rnment  in  France,  franKxi 
some  instructions  r<;lative  to  the  comnK3rce  of  the 
colony,  and  addressed  them  to  tho  Marquis  of  Vau- 
dreuil,  and  to  Michel  de  la  Rouvilliere,  who  had  suc- 
cce(h;d  Lenormant  as  Intendant  Commissary.  "  1 
reconuncnd  you,"  wrote  the  minister,  "  to  prcv(;nt, 
with  great  care,  tho  carrying  on  hc^ween  Louisiana 
an(l  the  English  coloni(;s  of  any  contraband  trade, 
which  may  enable  tho  colonists,  to  the  detriment  of 
the  King's  interests,  to  sell  their  indigo  to  tho  English, 
and  to  recciv(!  in  return  other  merchandise,  negroof;,  or 
money.  Let  it  be  your  special  duty  to  prevent  this, 
and  it  requires  the  UKirc  care  and  attention  on  your 
part,  from  the  fact  that  English  smugglers  have  for 
some  time  past  found  their  way  into  the  colony.  I 
have  even  been  informed  that  sliips  have  been  fitted 
out  in  Louisiana  for  Carolina.  Should  there  be  no  end 
put  to  this  state  of  things,  the  taste  for  this  fraudulent 


48 


VIEWS    OF    THE    GOVERNMENT    ON    COMMERCE. 


trade  would  strike  (I(!op  roots  in  tlio  colony.  The  will 
of  the  Kin<r  is,  that  you  should  strictly  prohibit  all 
tradiuir  between  Louisiana  and  the  Encrjish.  You 
must  not,  under  any  pretext,  receive  in  the  colony  any 
of  their  ships,  and  those  that  attempt  to  penetrate  into 
any  of  her  ports  nnist  be  confiscated.  In  a  word,  you 
must  neither  tolerate,  nor  allow  to  «vo  on  without  punish- 
ment, any  kind  of  trading  with  the  English,  and  his 
majesty  would  admit  of  no  excuse  on  your  part.  This 
applies  also  to  trading  with  the  Dutch." 

It  is  evident  that  this  system  was  not  calculated  to 
relieve  the  distresses  and  the  necessities  of  the  colony, 
nor   to   promote    its   commercial   prosperity.      In   our 
days,  and  on  the  exuberantly  fertile  soil  of  Louisiana, 
teeming  with  every  sort  of  produce,  in  her  noble  city 
of  New  Orleans,  that  Cybele  of  the  western   waters, 
rising  in  jn-ide  with  her  shining  crescent  of  ships,  if  not 
with  her  tiara  of  towers,  commerce  is  kin^,  but  a  kina 
who  l)cgnn  with   being  the  veriest  of  slaves.      May, 
for  the  benefit  of  all  nations,  the  shattered  fetters  for 
ever  remain  at  the  feet  of  the  enfranchi.«-d  sovereign, 
and  may  the  trident  of  Neptune  be  for  ever  the  sceptre 
of  peace,  extended    throughout    the    world    over    the 
elements  of  discord ! 

If  the  government  acted  with  short-sighted  illibcrality 
with  regard  to  commerce,  it  seemed  disposed  to  show- 
more  favor  to  the  agricultural  interest;  and  in  order  to 
give  more  extension  to  the  production  of  wax  from  the 
Candleberry  tree  (Ci^rca  myrijica),  it  authorized  the 
Marquis  of  Vaudreuil  to  purchase  the  whole  crop  of  this  " 
kind  of  vrax,  for  the  account  of  the  king,  at  the  rate  of 
ten  to  twelve  hvrcs  a  pound. 

During  the  year  1749,  no  change  happened  for  the 
better  in  the  affairs  of  the  colonv,  which  continued  to 
suffer  greatly  from  the  hostilities  of  the  Indians.     The 


ici:. 

TIk!  will 
oliibit  all 
h.  You 
•lony  any 
trale  into 
ord,  you 
t  punisli- 

and  his 
■t.     This 

ilaled  to 
!  colony, 

In  our 
^uisiana, 
blc  city 

\\atcrs, 
s,  if  not 
t  a  king 
May, 
ttcrs  for 
vereign, 
sceptre 
er    the 

hcralit}' 
o  show 
)rdcr  to 
•oni  the 
5ed  the 
of  this  ■ 
rate  of 

lor  tlie 

ued  to 

The 


ASCENDENCY  OF  THE  FRENCH. 


19 


Marquis  of  Vaudreuil,  in  a  despatch  of  the  22d  of 
September,  speaks  of  incessant  attacks  made  by  the 
several  Indian  nations  throughout  the  extensive  terri- 
tory of  the  colony,  and  describes  the  general  alarm 
which  existed  from  Natchez  to  New  Orleans.  "To 
destroy  entirely  the  Indians,"  said  he,  "  there  could  be 
nothing  so  effective  as  a  force  comj)osed  of  the  Creoles 
of  the  country.  They  alone  are  able  to  scour  the 
woods,  and  to  make  war  after  the  fashion  of  these 
barbarians.  But  unfortunately  there  is  not  a  sufficient 
number  of  them." 

The  year  1750  brought  some  relief  to  the  colony. 
The  struggle  which  had  continued  so  long  among  the 
Indians,  between  the  partisans  of  the  French  and  those 
of  the  English,  seemed  to  be  drawing  to  a  close,  and 
the  ascendency  of  the  French  had  prevailed.     Of  the 
thirty-two  Choctaw    villages    then    occupied   by   that 
nation,  only  two   remained  in    the   possession  of  the 
English  party,  and  even  in  these  two  villages  some  of 
the  warriors  were  wavering,  and  disposed  to  abandon 
their  chiefs  to  make  peace  on  their  own  account.     The 
English    party,    however,    showed    a    great    deal    of 
energy,  and  in  the  beginning  of  June,  in  a  desperate 
fight   in  which   they  engaged,  they  lost  one  hundred 
and  thirty  scalps.     This  was  a  crushing  hlow  ;  and  one 
still    more    effectual    was    struck,    in    September,    by 
Grand-Pre,  who,  at  the  head  of  a  party  of  the  Choc- 
taws  attached   to   the   French,    entirely   subdued    *he 
English  party,  and  forced  them  to  sue  for  peace,  which 
was  granted  to  them  on  the  following  conditions:— 
1st.   That  capital  punishment   should   be   inflicted  on 
any  Choctaw,  be  he  a  chief  or  a  common  warrior,  who 
should    kill  a   Frenchman ;    and   tl  at,    if  the   friends 
or  kmsmen  of  that  chief  or  warrior  should  oppose  the 
infliction  of  the   penalty,  then  that  the  whole  nation 


3U 


THASdUlLMTV    HE-ESTAIllISKED. 


>."n,l,l  lake  ,,,,  arm.,,  i,„<l  ,„ukc  tl„,8o  ,„o„  .,|,ar,  the 

nJ         K      '  ''"""'  '"-•  ""=  l"'"""^  incurred  by  „„y 
Cl.oH  i« ,  b,.  he  a  chief  or  a  common  warrior,  who 
shonld  ,„,ro,l„co  an  Kngh'.shn.an  into  hi.  village :  and 
that  revenue  lor  hi.  death  should  never  be  so1h„  bv 
•".y  one  ol  the  nalion;  and  rurlher,  that  the  En.rlisli. 
man  thn.  introduced  be  put  to  death.     :i<l.  That  the 
whol..  Choctaw  nation  .should  continue  to  n.al  e  v  ar 
upon  the  Cnckasaw.,,  and  should  never  ceaset  stko 
.>t  tha  /„rMo„,,  r„ce  (so  called  in  the  language  of  the 
treaty)  as  long  as  there  should   be  any  ,,«l,on  of    t 
remannng.    -Ith.  That  in  the  villages  of  the  rife  fas 
were  .  les,gnated  the  Choclaws  of  the  English,  artvT 
a  I  the  lorts  ..honid  be  destroyed  as  spcedttyas    ^1^' 
■nd  that,  on  both  sides,  the  prisoners  and  the  slaved 
taken  during  the  war  should  bo  restored.     This  was 
-lied  the  "ft^rf-Pr^  Treaty,''  and  was  int   Id  a 
a  curb  and  a  bridle  stifficiently  strong  to  manage  tit 
Choctaws  for  the  future.  manage  the 

Thus  tranquillity  was  at  last  re-,  stablislied  ,n  the 
colony.  A  detachment  of  troops  was  stationed  at  tie 
German  Coast,  and    another  at  the  Tunicas,  whe«, 

-French.     Those  Indians  had  long  since  prayed  for  t,! 
:hSr"!','  !'•  L^'  -  .P™-'    '"oi'  womefa'ld 


children    when    their 


warriors    wore    gone    on    war 


expeditions.     With    rcgar.l    .^  th"; 'ch  =      awt:  tZ 

?venci:  ::rn  Jt''*^''  r'r""'  ^"-"ss'^'  "gainst 's; 

I  rencn  .ind  (.  hoctaws,  Uu  nucd  for  nnn,..?  i  ■ 
token  of  their  desire  to  bury  the  hatcliet'^r.r^irnd  Z 
the  interpreter  of  their  sentiments,  they  had  sent  ^o 
the  Marquis  ofVaudrenil  a  French  woman  and  "on" 
children,  whom  they  had,  in  the  course  of  "he  pr^ 
ceding  year,  made  prisoners  at  the  .Arkansas.     The 


Iff  m 


PAPRR    MONEY. 


51 


sliare  the 
3    protect, 
cd  by  any 
■rior,  vvlio 
'iige;  and 
sought  by 
■  English- 
That  the 
Ucike   war 
!  to  strike 
igo  of  the 
ion  of  it 
reheis  (as 
h  party), 
possible, 
!ie  shives 
rhis  was 
ended  as 
"fige  the 

J  in   the 
3d  at  the 
,  wlicre, 
t  by  the 
1  for  the 
icn   and 
on    war 
^s,   ttiey 
inst  the 
and    in 
,  and  as 
sent  to 
d  some 
lie  pre- 
.     The 


Marquis  answered  that  he  would  take  their  petition 
into  consideration,  but  that  if  they  wished  to  obtain 
peace,  it  was  necessary  that  they  should  behave  better 
than  they   had   done   so   far.      The  truth  is    that   the 
French  wanted  no  peace  with  the  Chickasaws,  who  had 
been  their  implacabh.>   enemies  since  the  foundation  of 
the  colony,  and  that  they  had  resolved  on  their  entire 
destruction.     With   them,  for   the   accomplishment  of 
this  purpose,  it  was  merely  a  question  of  time.     On  this 
subject,  De  Vaudreuil  wrote  to  his  government  :  "With 
regard   to   the   Chickasaws,   we    must   wait   patientty 
and  postpone  all  action,  until  we  are  abli.  to  undertake 
another  expedition  against  them.     From  the  unsuccess- 
ful expeditions  which  took  place  from  1736  to  1740, 
the  Indians   have   drawn  the  inference  that  we  are  not 
able  to  destroy  or  to  subdue  the  red  men.     Until  we 
have  returned  full  retaliation  for  the  failure  of  our  past 
operations,  and  until  the   impression  produced  by  that 
failure  be  entirely  wiped  off,  we  shall  always  be  in  an 
extremely  critical  situation." 

It  will  be  remembered  that,  in    1747,  the  Intendant 
Commissary,  Lenormant,   had  opposed  a  new  emission 
of  paper   money;     but    his   successor,    Michel   de    la 
Rouvilliere,    pursued   a   very   different    course.      The 
expenses   of  the    colony    had    greatly    increased;    its 
scanty  resources   had  diminished  ;    and  with  almost  a 
total  absence  of  help  from  the  mother  country,  it  was 
very  difficult    for   De   Vaudreuil    and     Michel    de    la 
Rouvilliere  to  carry  on  the  colonial  government.     To 
relieve  their  necessities,  and  perhaps  also  to  gratify  the 
wishes  of  many,  who  looked  with  delight  at  the  pros- 
pect ever  offered  to  the  greedy,  by  the  manufacturing 
and  throwing  into  the  market"^  of  a  quantity  of  paper 
money,  these  two  high  functionaries  issued  a  joint  ordi- 
nance creating  notes  of  twenty  to  thirty  iivres,  and  of 


no 


ii 


INCREASE   OF    THE    MILITARY    FORCES. 


greater  value,  if  necessary.     These  notes  were  to  be 
given  in  payment  of  all  the  King's  expenses  and  debts 
and  to  be  exchanged  for  all  other  papers,  obhgations' 
and  bonds,  so  that   they  should  speedily  become   the' 
only  currency  of  the  colony. 

The  French  government  received  with  astonishment 
the  news  that  such  a  measure  had  been  adopted,  and 
expressed  its    disapprobation   of   it    in    very  explicit 
terms.     De   Vaudrcuil  and   Michel   de   la   Rouvilliere 
were   energetically    censured   for   having   exercised   a 
power  which  had  never  been  delegated  to  them ;  they 
were   ordered    to  withdraw   all   the    paper   they   had 
issued,  and  to  exchange  these  obligations  for  drafts  on 
the  treasurers-general  of  the  Crown  in  France.     The 
mmisterial  despatch   on   this   subject   contained  these 
words  :— "  The  experiment  which  was  made  in  Louisi- 
ana, as  to  paper  currency,  ought  to  inspire  great  cir- 
cumspection, in  so  delicate  a  matter,  and  it  cannot  be 
doubted   but    that    the   Governor's    recent    ordinance 
would  soon  produce  the  same  disorders  which   were 
formerly  the   result   of  measures   of  the   same  kind." 
Such  was  the  view  taken  of  the  subject  by  the  French 
government,  and  De  Vaudreuil  and  Michel  de  la  Rou- 
villiere were  plainly  told  that  their  conduct,  on  that 
occasion,  was  without  a  shadow  of  excuse. 

If  the  Marquis  of  Vaudreuil  had  the  mortification  of 
incurring  the  displeasure  of  his  government  in  this  par- 
ticular act  of  his  administration,  he  had  the  satisfaction, 
on  the  other  hand,  of  succeeding,  at  last,  in  the  appli-' 
cation  which  he  had  made,  during  so  many  years,  for 
the  increase  of  the  mihtary  forces  of  the  colony.  The 
King  decreed  that,  for  the  future,  there  should  be  kept 
up  in  the  colony  thirty-seven  companies  of  fifty  men 
each,  exclusive  of  officers.  It  was  also  decreed  that 
the  Go/eruor  could  discharge,  annually,  two  soldiers 


i 


1^ 


j*ji'.._ 


91^ 


PAPER    MONEY    COUNTERFEITED. 


53 


ire  to  be 

nd  debts, 
ligations, 
ome   the 

lishment 
>ted,  and 

explicit 
>uviJliere 
rcised  a 
m ;  they 
ley  had 
rafts  on 
e.  The 
id  these 

Louisi- 
eat  cir- 
nnot  be 
dinance 
h  were 
s  kind." 
French 
a  Rou- 
m  that 

ition  of 
lis  par- 
faction, 
3  appji- 
irs,  for 
.  The 
>e  kept 
ty  men 
id  that 
oldiers 


from  each  company,  on  condition  that  they  should  set- 
tle in  the  colony;  and  that,  to  all  persons  coming  to 
establish  themselves  in  Louisiana,  there  should  be 
granted  a  supply  of  corn  and  rice  for  eighteen  months, 
wiiii  the  necessary  implements  to  improve  the  lands 
that  would  be  conceded  to  them.  By  the  same  royal 
ordinance,  to  mechanics,  settling  in  cities,  a  supply  of 
provisions  for  six  months  was  allowed,  with  the  instru- 
ments required  for  their  trade.  But  the  Governor  was 
instructed  to  take  special  care  that  the  liberality  of  the 
King  should  not  be  turned  to  improper  and  unprofita- 
ble uses ;  that  the  lands  conceded  should  lie  close  to 
each  other,  and  be  well  selected ;  and  that  the  forma- 
tion of  villages  be  encouraged. 

On  the  12th  of  October,  Livaudais,  the  chief  pilot 
and  portmaster,  made  an  interesting  report  on  the 
mouth  of  the  Mississippi.  The  attention  of  the  French 
government  had  always  been  fixed  on  this  important 
subject,  on  which,  from  time  to  time,  all  the  informa- 
tion which  could  be  collected  from  careful  observations 
was  solicited,  and  filed  in  the  archives  of  France.* 

Towards  the  close  of  the  year  (1750),  the  colony  was 
thrown  into  a  state  of  excitement  by  the  discovery, 
that  a  great  deal  of  the  paper  currency  of  the  country 
was  counterfeited,  and  therefore  entirely  valueless.  It 
gave  rise  to  strict  investigations,  and  a  colored  man, 
named  Joseph,  was  tried,  and  convicted  as  one  of  the 
perpetrators  of  this  crime.  He  was  sentenced  to  be 
whipped  by  the  public  executioner,  to  have  the  mark 
of  the  flower-de-luco  branded  on  his  shoulder  with  hot 
iron,  and  to  be  transported  for  sale  to  one  of  the  French 
West  India  islands. 

On  the  12th  of  January,  1751,  the  Marquis  of  Vau- 

*  See  the  AppnnHJT 


-  »'l 


i 


54 


riKRRE    BOUCHER. 


m 


dreuil  wrote  to  his  government  to  obtain  the  Cross  of 
St.  Louis  for  De  Grand-Pre,  as  a  reward  for  all  the  ser- 
vices which  this  distinguished  officer  had  rendered  in 
the  wars  with  the  Indians.  The  name  of  Grand-Pre, 
so  well  known  in  the  oldest  annals  of  chivalry,  awakens 
stirring  recollections  of  the  past,  and  recalls  to  the  mind 
the  enlivening  associations  of  history  and  of  poetry. 
What  says  Shakspeare  (King  Henry  V.)  ? 

Messenger.-My   Lord  High  Constable,  tho  English  lie  .vithin  fifteen  hundred 
paces  of  your  tent. 

High  Constable  of  France.— WYio  hath  measured  thy  ?Toundf 
Messenger.— The  Lord  Grand-Pr6. 

High    Con,tahle.-A    valiant    and    most  expert  gentleman.      Would   it  were 
day!      Alael    poor  Hany  of   England  1    he   longs  not  for  the  dawning  as  we 

The  Grand-Pres  of  Louisiana  descend  from  Pierre 
Boucher,  who  was  Governor  of  Trois  Rivieres  ui  Canada 
m  1G53,  and  who  published  an  interesting  work  on 
that  country,  then  generally  named  New  France.  The 
title  of  the  work  is :— "  Histoire  naturelle  et  veritable 
des  mceurs  et  productions  du  pays  de  la  N'elle  France, 
vulgairement  dite  le  Canada." 

Of  the  most  remarkable  men  whose  deeds  will  have 
to  be  recorded,  when  the  history  of  Canada  sliaU  be 
written  as  it  deserves  to  be,  Pierre  Boucher  is  to  be 
ranked  among  the  first.     The  study  of  his  character 
shews  a  mixture,  delightful  to  contemplate,  of  Spartan 
heroism,  of  Christian  meekness,  of  the  fiery  enthusiasm 
of  the  knight,  and  the  ardent  faith  of  the  martyr,  of 
womanly  tenderness,  of  unshaken  fortitude,  of  worldly 
shrewdness,  and  of  almost  virgin  artlcssness,  combined 
with  a  turn  of  mind  productive  of  the  energetic  virtues 
of  the   feudal   times— si  baron  and  a  saint— a  man  of 
aristocratic  conceptions  and  bearing,  with  the  uti.i.^.sl 
liberality  of  disposition,  and  the  watchfulness  of  a  sister 


'I  a 


LETTRES   DE    CACHET. 


55 


Cross  of 
the  ser- 
iered  in 
ind-Pre, 
iwakens 
he  mind 
poetry. 

en  hundred 


lid  it  were 
ning  as  we 


I  Pierre 
Canada 
ork  on 
.  The 
aritahle 
b'rance, 

II  have 
va]}  he 

to  be 
aractcr 
>|)artan 
usiasm 
tyr,  of 
vorldly 
nbined 
virtues 
iian  of 

JtlilOSt 

,  sisitcr 


of  charity  for  destitution,  sickness  and  affliction.  Do 
Muys,  who  was  appointed  Governor  of  Louisiana  in 
1707,  and  who  died  in  Havana  on  his  way  to  that 
French  colony,  was  his  son-in-laWi  Pierre  Boucher 
left  a  large  family,  which  divided  itself  into  two 
branches.  One  of  them,  the  Grand-Pres,  has  taken 
root  in  Louisiana,  and  the  other,  under  the  name  of 
Boucherville,  flourishes  to  this  day  in  high  social  con- 
dition in  Canada. 

On  the  18th  of  February,  the  Marquis  of  Vaudreuil 
and  Michel  de  la  Rouvillierc  published  regulations  of 
pohce,  which,  as  forcible  illustrations  of  the  administra- 
tion of  the  colony,  and  of  the  manners,  ideas,  customs, 
and  morals  then  prevailing,  are  given  in  the  appendix  to 
this  work.  These  regulations  are  also  an  evidence  of 
the  legislation  which  was,  at  that  time,  thought  most 
appropriate  to  the  state  of  the  country.  Hard  labor,  for 
life,  on  the  King's  galleys,  was  inflicted  for  off'ences 
which,  in  our  days,  would  hardly  be  visited  with  the 
penalty  of  a  few  hours'  imprisonment. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  Louisiana,  under  th<-  arbitrary 
legislation  of  the  despotic  government  of  France,  was 
frequently  a  sort  of  state  prison  or  Rastile,  to  which 
were  sent  the  victims  of  those  orders  of  arrest,  so  well 
known  under  the  name  of  Ldtrcs  de  Cachet.  In  con- 
nexion with  the  exercise  of  this  kind  of  authority, 
there  is  a  curious  despatch  of  the  Marquis  of  ViUidreuil, 
dated  on  the  15th  of  May,  1751,  in  which  ho  writes  to 
the  Minister  in  France  : — "  The  situation  of  the  i.ady 
of  Ste.  Hermino,  who  came  to  this  colony,  thirty  years 
ince,  by  virtue  of  a  Lettrc  de  Cachet,  obliges  me  to 
represent  to  you  that  this  lady  is  at  present  unable  to 
maintain  herself  here  any  longer,  on  account  of  the  ex- 
treme destitution  to  which  she  is  reduced  by  the  death 
of  Mr.  de  Loubois,  with  whom   she   had  always  lived. 


56  DISTRIBUTION   OF   THE    TKOOPS. 

I  bog  permission  to  send  her  back,  gratis,  to  France 
on  one  of  the  King's  sliips.  Moreover,  the  Lettre  de 
Cachet  iias  expired,  and  the  lady  is  very  old."  Under 
these  cold  lines,  there  lies,  perhaps,  a  tale  of  deep  woe 
and  passion ;  and  who  knows  how  many  such  have 
passed  by,  unnoticed,  on  the  far  distant  banks  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  in  the  discreet  solitude  of  the  boundless 
domains  of  the  Father  of  Rivers  ! 

During  the  year,  1751,  the  colony  found  itself  in  a 
better  state  of  protection  than  it  had  ever  been  This 
evidently  proves  the  power  of  the  Marquis  at  court  • 
tor  more  had  been  done  for  him  than  for  any  of  his 
predecessors.  His  salary  was  greater  than  that  of  any 
ot  the  preceding  governors ;  and  he  had  under  his 
orders  two  thousand  regulars-a  larger  force  than  had 
ever  been  seen  in  Louisiana.  The  distribution  of  these 
troops  throughout  the  colony,  was  as  follows : 

District  of  Now  Orlefins,  900  French,  75  Swiss  975 

Mobile,  400       "  75     ..    ,!       '        '      »„ 

nUnois,       .         .  '^  .    475 

Arkansas,  ...                 ^°^ 

Natchez,     ...                 ^^ 

Natchitoches,      ..''''''  ^^ 

Pointe  Coupee,  .        .                                                  •        •  uw 

German  Coast,   .  ®^ 

.      50 

Total,         .        .  

2000 

This  increase  of  troops  and  e.xpenses  was  received  as 
a  demonstration  that  the  French  goveriinient  intended 
to  push  on  the  work  of  colonization,  with  more  energy 
than  It  had  previously  done,  and  with  the  expectation 
of  better  results.  But  it  was  soon  discovorc^d  that  it 
was  a  mere  transient  ellbrt ;  that  it  had  not  originated 
trom  any  deep  laid  and  settled  plan,  or  from  any  firm 
resolve  in  a  persevering  course  of  action  ;  and  that  it 
was,  either  the  offspring  of  accidental  and  ephemeral 


COMPLAINTS    AGAINST   VAUDREUIL.  o7 

determination  from  those  in  power,  or  of  personal  con- 
siderations and  favoritism.  Whatever  may  have  been 
the  cause  of  this  unusual  grant  of  protection  to  Louisi- 
ana, the  events  which  followed  in  a  few  years,  prove  it 
to  have  been  one  of  those  fitful,  apparent  revivals  of 
strength  and  health,  which  frequently  precede  the  last 
agonies  of  death. 

Governor  Vaudreuil  and  the  Intendant-Commissary 
Lenormant  had  quarrelled,  according  to  the  good  old 
custom  prevailing  in  the  colony  since  its  foundation;  and 
although  the  Marquis  and  Michel  de  la  RouviHiere,  the 
successor  of  Lenormant,  had,  at  first,  been  on  good  terms, 
and  had  agreed  on  the  issuing  of  paper  money,  which 
measure  the  French  government  had  disapproved,  they 
soon  disagreed  on  every  other  act  of  administration. 
Hence  followed,  as  usual,  bickerings,  recriminations,  and 
mutual  accusations,  which  disturbed  the  colony.  These 
two  high  functionaries  soon  became  more  intent  upon 
counteracting  each  other,  than  upon  devising  plans  for 
the  benefit  of  the  colony;  and  the  opposition  which 
they  made  to  each  other,  cramped  and  im[)eded  the 
operations  of  their  respective  departments.  On  the 
15th  of  May,  1751,  Michel  de  la  RouviHiere  wrote  to 
the  French  government : — 

"  At  the  English  Turn,  Mr.  de  Vaudreuil  has  sta- 
tioned the  Ensign,  Duplcssy,  who  is  a  raw  recruit, 
without  either  capacity  or  experience.  This  officer, 
being  drunk,  ill-treated  the  store-keeper,  Carriere. 
But  the  Governor  sided  with  the  oflicer  ;  for,  who  says 
officer  says  all.  When  the  word  officer  is  uttered,  the 
world  must  (juake.  Hence,  when  one  of  those  gentle- 
men has  any  misunderstanding  with  a  private  citizen, 
he  never  foils  to  exclaim  ;  '  Are  you  aware  that  you 
are  speaking  to  an  oflicer  ?>  And  if,  by  chance,  the 
afl^air  comes  before  me,  the  defence  of  the  officer  against 


58 


<;OMIM-AINTS    AGAINST    ROUVILMEKE. 


whom  tlio  complaint  is  brought,  may  bo  summed  up 
in  these  words,  which  he  utters  in  a  tone  of  astonish- 
ment :  '  What !  Sir  !  he  dares  thus  speak  to,  or  thus 
act  toward  an  officer  !'  and  altliou<Th  th(>  officer  may  be 
m  the  wrong,  judgment  is  always  giv(>n  against  his 
adversary,  l)ecause  the  military  influence  is  predominant 
in  the  (^ouncil,  through  the;  Governor,  the  Major,  and 
the  (Jovernor's  flatterers. 

"  No  justice  is  to  be  expected  from  Mr.  Do  Vau- 
dreuil;  he  is  too  lazy,  too  negligent ;— his  wife  is  too 
malicious,  too  passionate,  and  has  too  strong  interests 
m  all  the  settlements,  and  in  the  town  of  New  Orleans, 
not  to  prevail  upon  him  to  keep  on  fair,  and  even  on 
servde  terms,  with  the  body  of  officers,  and  with 
others," 

"He  was  to  destroy  the  abuses  which  sprung  into 
existence  during  tlu^  sway  of  iho  Fndia  (^ompany,  but 
lie  has  carefully  abstained  from  doing  so.  Those  abuses 
are  too  flattering  to  his  vanity,  since  Ik^  is  the  absolute 
master  of  every  thing,  and  they  are  too  favorable  to 
his  interests  to  be  eradicated.  The  army  and  the  old 
members  of  the  council  find  tluMr  advantage  in  this 
state  of  things,  since  they  vex  the  public  with  impu- 
nity, as  th(-y  liave  always  done,  through  the  prot(^ction 
they  obtain  from  the  (Governor,  by  their  servile  court- 
mg  of  that  functionary." 

The  Marquis  of  Vaudreuil,  in  his  turn,  did  not,  in 
his  despatches,  treat  the  Intendant  Commissary,  Michel 
dc  la  Kouvillicre,  with  more  lenity,  fn  a  communica- 
tion ol  the  2O1I1  of  July,  he  complained  that  the  (^om- 
missary  did  not  furnish  the  several  militarv  posts  in 
the  colony,  with  the  supplies  of  which  tlieV  stood  in 
need,  and  that  it  produced  the  worst  effects  on  the 
troops,  and  provoked  d(«sertion.  Jl(>  said  tluit  the 
Choctaws  were  impatient  at  not  receiving  their  custo- 


m 


COMPLAINTS    AGAINST    VAUDREUIL. 


59 


inary  prosonts ;  that  this  delay  was  muclj  to  be  regret- 
ted, and  might  have  the  most  fatal  consequences ;  that 
he  was  even  aware  that  tliey  had  had  some  conferences 
with  the  Enghsh,  and  that  Michel  de  la  Rouvillierc 
was  only  intent  on  gratifying  his  self-love  and  his  taste 
for  dcHpotism.  On  the  very  same  day,  Michel  de  la 
Rouvilliere  was  also  scribbling  away  denunciations 
against  De  Vaudrcuil.  He  com})lained  of  the  manner 
in  which  the  King's  merchandise  was  wasted,  and  de- 
clared that  De  Vaudreuil  distributed  it,  capriciously, 
to  his  favorites  at  the  different  stations  where  they 
commanded,  and  that  the  Choctaws,  through  bad 
manag(!ment,  were  a  source  of  enormous  ex[)ense  to 
the  government. 

"  Tlu!re  is  no  question," — says  he  to  the  Minister, — 
"  but  that  the  Governor  is  interested,  for  one  third,  in 
the  profits  made  at  the  post  of  Tombecboe,  where  De 
Grand-Prc  commands,  and  that  he  has  the  same  inte- 
rests in  all  the  other  posts.  Nobody  doubts  it  here, 
licnormant,  my  predecessor,  must  have  proved  it  to 
>ou  in  his  memorials,  and  in  informing  you  that  Mr. 
De  Vaudreuil  had  gone  security  for  the  conmianders  at 
tluiir  respective  [)osts,  and  for  the  traders  who  had 
tak(>n,  on  lease,  the  privilege  of  trafficking  with  the 
Indians.  The  Marquis  is  too  proud  to  have  thus  be- 
haved, if  he  had  not  been  prompted  to  it  by  self-inte- 
rest. The  couunanders,  at  the  posts,  are  all  Canadians, 
who  are  his  creatures,  or  who  are  kinsmen  or  relations 
of  his  own  or  of  his  wife." 

*'  Mr.  de  Pontalba,  the  only  one  who  does  not  belong 
to  this  gang,  holds  the  government  of  Pointe  Coupee, 
solely  because  he  shares  his  profits  with  the  Governor's 
liidy.  I  have  it  from  his  own  mouth,  and,  surely,  he 
will  not  be  called  upon  to  draw  lots  with  his  brother 
olli'ers,  when  the  time  shall  come  for  the  distribution 


00 


rOMIM.AIIVTS    AdAINNT    VAUDItKini,. 


I 


of  M.0  (roops  which  arc  to  ^niiriHon  om-  |)<,HtM.     Th.Tc 

will  hv  s,»i,u>  ,,n«l,«.xt   found  to  koj.,,  hi,,.  vvh(.,v  h,.  i„' 

"n«J  as  s,M>ci<.„s  a  o.k^  will  no  <lo„|,t   h..  (lincovcn.,!  iii 

'iv,)r  oi  My.  d,.  (;,,„„MV>,  who  connnands  at  'r,,,,,!,,.,.- 

•'«v,  ami  who  will  not  rast  lots.     (,.  ll„.  inrantin,,.,  ,!„. 

cf)n,n,and  of  (l,o  Kn^lish  Turn  has  Immm,  will,|„.|d  (Von, 

IVlr    d,.   h,    Ho„Hsayr,  who   has   ^iv,.,.    hi,„s,.|f  a    .r,vat 

*«''•'  •^'   •'••>"l.l"   for  tho  w<.|fa,-o  of  fl,,.   „,,,.  sHINts  at 

l'"t  i:<»>',l.     As  usual,/.,/,-  was  lalvly  sont  to  To,,,!,..,.. 

»»«^'N  »«>••  tlu«  jra,.,-,son  ;   hu(  it  was  .sold,  also  as  usual,  and 

<w„was   .nru  for  lood  fo  U.r  soldin-s,  ofwhon.  (M.r|„ 

tmvv  d('s»M-t<'d.  '^ 

"  IN'lr.  Driino,  an  (Misi^j,,,  who  is  a  kinsman  of  Mr.  do 
Van, InMul's,  au.l  who  cxnu.auds  at  (I..  A,-kansas,  havin.r 
'';:'•;•'»  <•»'«/  "«'>v  (roops  had  arrived,  and  that  lh(.  o||irr,s 
of  fho  col.my  worr  to  cast  lots  for  tho  distribution  of 
Hio  sovoral  posts  an.on^r   ,h,Mn,  and  hoin^r  anxious  to 
mak(>  suro  ol  his  own,  which  is  ono  of  th(>  host  in  tho 
colony     abandoned    it,   without    pcM-.uission,    loavi,...    a 
co.|MM-al    ,n   connnand.     Ilo  a,Tiv<<,l   l,o,-o,  to  tho  .m.at 
aHt.unshnuM.t   of  ,.vo,-ybody.      Mr.    i]v   Vaud,-ouil,"w|,o 
tolt  tho  cons.M|uonco  of  such  in,  act  of  insubo,-dination 
sent  huu  back  within  lorty-oi^rht  hours,  but  indicted  no 
punishmont.     On  his  return  to  tho  Arkansas,  IVf,-.  I)di„o 
Jound  that  tho  co,-poral  and  tho  rest  of  th.>  <ra,rison  had 
t^wopt   ovorytIun<r    clean,    and    had    dosorlod,    carrying 
away  a.,  that  could   bo  carried.     Such  are  tho  causes 
which    increase   tho  oxpens,.s,   beyond    the    Intondant 
i-omnussary's  control." 

"There  is  no  discipline;  the  most  indul.ront  tolera- 
tion IS  ^r,.anted  to  tho  soIdi.Ts,  piovidiMl  tht7  drink 
taoir  money  at  tho  licensed  licjuor  shop,  (cantino,) 
where  they  are  jrive„  drugs,  which  ruin  their  health; 
for  several  months,  tluTo  has  never  been  less  than  a 
hundred  of  thorn  at  the  hospital." 


rtlMI'I.AINTN    AliAINNT    VAII|»lll':iII|,. 


()1 


"  'IMuTc  nw  hero  at  IriiHl  Hixty  ofllccrH,  wlio  Imnlly 
do  duty  once  in  lilty  diiyH.  Not  oim  of  lUvm  m 
r('(|iiin'd  to  visit  \hv.  harriicks,  which  an;  kept  in  tho 
most  lilthy  and  dis^ustinj^r  manntT ;  th(!  Holdir-rs  an; 
allow*'d  to  <!(»  what  thc^y  |>h;aH(;,  providfd  thoy  drink 
at  the  hcjuor  shop  ilfHi^rmitojl  lor  thcni  ;  and  th(!y 
carry  ont  of  it  wiia;  and  spirits,  which  th«!y  ro-scll  to 
the  nc/^rrocs  and  to  the;  Inchans.  Thin  has  hjcn  proved 
Icn  limes  lor  one;  everybody  knows  it,  an<l  yvi  the 
ahnse  is  not  slopped.  I  lieqnently  spokt-  to  Mr.  (h) 
Vau(h<Miil  on  this  snhjcict.  lint  this  nefarious  practice, 
instead  of  l)ein<r  chcM-ked,  has  ^rrown  njoro  active.  It 
is  Mr.  (h'  llelleisle,  the  aid-major,  who  has  th«!  h-aso 
and  adniinislralion  of  tlie  h(|uor  shop,  and  who  «riv(.H 
for  it  a  <(!rl:iin  sum  to  the  Major  others  say  to  i\w, 
(iov<;rnor's  lady.  What  is  positive;  is,  that  Mr.  de 
VaudrcMiil  has  <lrawn  nj)on  the  treasury  for  t(;n  thou- 
sand livr(!S  of  his  salary  as  (iov<!rnor,  whi(;lj  h<!  has 
given  to  Mr.  d(!  JJelhMsle,  uiul  it  is  with  th(;s(!  funds 
that  tlu;  supplies  of  tiie  liquor  shop  have  been 
bought. " 

"  Moreover,  Madam  de  Vaudreuil  is  (Capable  of 
carryinir  on  a  still  baser  sort  of  trade;.  She  deals  here 
with  everybody,  and  sli(>  forces  merchants  and  f)ther 
individuals  to  tak(>  charge  of  her  mcTchandise,  and  to 
sell  it  at  the  price  wJiich  she  fixes.  She  ke(;pH  in  her 
own  house  every  sort  of  drugs,  which  are  sold  by  her 
steward,  and,  in  his  absence,  she  docs  not  scruph;  to 
descend,  herself,  to  the  occupation  of  measurement, 
and  to  betake  liers(;lf  to  the  (;|j.  The  husband  is 
not  ignorant  of  this.  Uv  d.aws  from  it  a  hand- 
some revenue,  to  obtain  which  is  liis  sole  wish  and 
aim." 

"  The  first  use  which  has  been  made  of  your  Excel- 
lency's order  to  put  a  cadet  in  each  company,  was  to 


'r 


•  i 


62 


(ONDITION    OF    Tin:    <  OI.ONV. 


ln\Mh»\v  llu>.Mi'  liivorH  on  iicw-Ikm-ii  rliiMnn.  TIutc  im> 
M<mu»,  hctwc.ii  liftcni  nioiitlis  and  six  v««nrs  oM,  who 
conu'  in  lor  (ln>  dislrihufion  orinovisions/' 

iMjrln'I  i\r  III   Uonvillirn-   (<n<«<rM   into  IuiIIkt  (|«'(jiilH, 
IKS  to  Ihr  iilmsivt'   !uls   of  antlioiily  ,oMninllcd  |>y  (I,,' 
oIlifciM,  .ind  (•(•ni|)|jiins  of  lli(>   IxuMidlcss  |)ow,.r  uliicli 
IIm'V  |)oss.<hh,  lluonuli  Hi,.  prot.ciuMi  of  ih,.  IMjin|uiH  of 
Viuidrcnil  and  ol' llic  Council,  wlirn.lorr  many  inlial)if- 
anls  arc   obliged   to   leave   llie   colony,  lo  avoid   vexa- 
tions,    lie  coni|ilains,  also,  ol"  ilie   had   conduct  of  (he 
Attorney-Ciencial,  I'Mcuriau,  whom    he  accuses  of  nre- 
suniptiou,    ii^norance,  and  passion.      Ihii,  fn.ui  the  tone 
of  Ins    l(>lteis,  It   cannot    Im^   inlen-cd    that    he,   liims<<IC 
who  reproaches  I'h'uriau  for  his  passionate  dis|)osition 
was   iVee   I'roni   a   sinular    fault.      His   hreast    cerlainly 
does  not   simmu   to  overllow   with   the    nnik   ol"  human 
kindness   towards   his   hrotluMs    in   anthoritv,  at  whom 
he  bites  with  the  bitt(M-est   tooth  of  sctnrilily.     If  half 
of  what  he  says  be  true,   the  <<)lony  nnist    liav(>  bej.n  in 
a  tr»dy   tlt^plorabI(>  UKual  condition;  lor  tla-re  j)revaile(j 
in   it   the   most    shamiMul   venality,  and   the   siream   of 
corruption   ori<;inated   and   ran   down    from   the    upper 
rejrions   of  society.     It  must  have    be(>n    a    miniature 
copy  of  what  was  tlu^n  iroiujr  on  in    iM-ance.     'IMiese 
low,  but  {rraphic,  chMails,  which  hav(>  b«.en  ^iwu  hero, 
will   not,  I  ho|M',  b(Mh>cmed  unworthy  of  bein^r  luiowii 
lor  tlu>y  are  the   b(\st    illnstrati<»ns   of  niamiers  ;   nor  i.H 
it  to  be  for<:oll«>n  that   history,  heiiifr  ih,.  (.nd)odiment 
of  human  nature,  in  its  past  actions  and  fe(.|inirs,  js  to 
be  studied  with  mon^  ilVect  in  tlu>  nn<Tuarded  privacies 
of  her    bed-chambir,    than     in     Ucv    stately    halls    of 
reception,    where   she   app«>ars    only   in   her   robes   of 
diij;nity. 

In  1732,  a  royal  ordinance  had  exempted  from  the 
payment  of  duty,   [hiring  ten  years,  all   the  merchari- 


INTIIUIM<<"|-|<)N    OF    rili;    NIKJAK-CANi:. 


«:{ 


^\'\i*v  itnd  jtoojIh  imporfiMl  (roin  Fniiir«i  into  flu;  colony, 
and  Jilso  lli«'  iirodnrtion.s  of  |||(>  colony  r\|H)r(r(j  Ut 
Fruncr.  In  1711,  thin  ordinance  had  Immii  renewed 
for  ItMi  years;  and  i.')w,  on  llie  .'{Olli  of  Novend)er, 
ITf)!,  il,  was  umxlv.  known  iliat  the  .sanic  |»rivile<ro 
shouM  continue  in  lone  initil  I7(>2.  TliiH  was  persn- 
verinfT  in  the  ri^ht  jiath ;  lint  the  adoption  of  one 
lilM>ral  nieasnre  was  not  sidlicierit  to  estahlish  the  pros- 
perity of  tlu;  colony  <»n  a  solid  hasis  ;  it  vvonid  havo 
been  necessary  to  <-o-or(linafe,  or  to  link  to^rdher,  a 
ivhole  eidi<,rh|,.|ied  system  of  colonization,  and  to  have; 
pu<  it  into  operation  with  st(!adiness,  honesty,  and 
aliiliiy. 

It  was  in  this  year,  1751,  that  two  ships,  which  were 
transporlin^r  Uv,,  hundred  n>;^nihirs  to  f-ouisiana,  stopped 
at  llispaniola.  The  Jesnils  of  ihnt  island  obtained 
permission  to  put  on  boani  of  those;  ships,  and  to  send 
to  the  .lesnilH  of  Louisiana,  some  su<rar  canes,  ;ind  some 
nejrroes  who  were  used  to  the  cidtivation  of  this  pljMit. 
Tlu«  can«s  wen;  put  under  <rroimd,  accordiu'r  f„  tfie 
directions  ^riven,  on  the  plantation  of  tin;  n;verend 
fatlH'rs,  which  was  imm(;(liately  above;  (!anal  stre(;t,  on 
a  portion  of  Ihe  space;  now  occupi(;d  by  tin;  Second 
Municipality  of  iIk,  city  of  New  ()rl(;ans.  Mut  it 
seems  that  the  experiment  proved  abortive,  Jind  it  was 
only  in  179()  that  the;  cultivation  of  ihe  cane;,  and 
the;  manufacturin^r  „r  su<rar,  was  sue;cessfully  i'ntro- 
<hie-,e>el  in  heiuisiana,  anel  elenieuislrated  te)  be  practie^-ible;. 
It  was  then  that  this  pre'cie)us  reed  was  really  natu- 
ralizeel  in  the'  e;e)le)ny,  nnel  l)e"<ran  to  bo  a  seiurco  of  evcr- 
gre)win<r  wealth. 

On  be)ard  of  the  sa-ne  ships,  there;  e-anie  sixty 
girls,  who  were  transpeirtcel  to  Louisijiua  at  tho 
expense  of  the  King.  It  was  the  last  enngration 
ot    tlie    kmd.      These    girls    were    married    to    such 


m 


64 


EXPEDITION    AGAINST    THE    CIIICKASAWS. 


1 1: 


soldiers  as  had  distinguished  tliemselves  for  their 
good  conduct,  and  who,  in  consideration  of  their 
marriage,  were  discharged  from  service.  Concessions 
of  land  were  made  to  eacli  happy  pair,  with  one 
cow  and  its  calf,  one  cock  and  five  hens,  one  gun 
one  axe,  and  one  spade.  During  the  first  three  years 
of  their  settlement,  they  were  to  receive  rations  of 
provisions,  and  a  small  quantity  of  powder,  shot 
grains  and  seeds  of  all  sorts.  ' 

Such   is   the   humble   origin   of  many  of  our   most 
respectable   and  wealthy  families,  and  well  may  they 
be  proud  of  a  social  position,  which  is  due  to  the  honest 
industry  and  hereditary  virtues  of  several  generations. 
Whilst  some  of  patrician  extraction,  crushed  under  the 
weight  of  vices,  or  made  inert  by  sloth,  or  labor-con- 
temnmg  pride,  and  degenerating  from  pure  gold  into 
vile   dross,   have    been   swept   away,    and    have    sunk 
into    the    dregs    and   sewers   of   the    commonwealth. 
Thus   m  Louisiana,   the   high   and  the  low,  although 
the   country   has    never    suffered    from    any    political 
or  civil  convulsions,  seem   to  have,  in  the  course  of 
one   century,    frequently  exchanged  with  one  another 
their  respective    positions,  much  to  the  philosopher's 
edification. 

In  1752,  the  Chickasaws  having  renewed  their  depre- 
dations at  the  instigation  of  the  English,  the  Marquis 
of  Vaudreuil  put  himself  at  the  head  of  seven  hundred 
regulars,  and  a  large  number  of  Indians,  with  whom 
he  marched  against  the  enemy.  But  this  expedition 
was  not  more  successful  than- those  undertaken  by 
Bienville.  The  Chickasaws  shut  themselves  up  in  some 
forts  which  the  English  had  helped  them  to  construct, 
and  which  proved  impregnable.  Contenting  himself 
with  setting  on  fire  some  deserted  villages,  and  destroy- 
ing the  crops  and  the  cattle  of  the  Chickasaws,  the 


f 


1 


!    il 


STATE   OF    AGRICULTURE. 


65 


Mar(|ui8  returned  to  New  Orleans,  after  having  con- 
siderably increased  the  fortifications  at  Toinhecbee, 
where  he  left  a  stronger  garrison. 

During  this  year,  1752,  a  Choctaw,  happening  to  quar- 
rel with  a  Colapissa,  told  him  that  he  and  all  his  tribe 
were   no   better  than   the   fawning    and   mean-spirited 
dogfe  of  the  French.     Whereupon,  the  Colapissa,  resent- 
ing  the   insult,   shot   the   Choctaw,  and   fled   to  New 
Orleans.     The  family  of  the  dead  claimed  the  fugitive, 
to  have  capital  punishment  inflicted  upon  him.     The 
Marquis  attempted,  in  vain,  to  persuade  the  Choctawls 
to   receive   presents   in   exchange   for   the   blood   they 
demanded,  and  found  himself  constrained  to  order  that 
the  fugitive   be  arrested.      But   nowhere  could   he  be 
discovered.      Whilst  the  search  for  him  was  on  foot, 
his  father  went  to  the  Choctaws,  and  oftercd  to  die  for 
his  son.     His  proposition  was  accepted,  and  his  head, 
shattered   by  one   blow  of  the   revengeful   tomahawk, 
redeemed  the  life  for  which  he  had  so  willingly  for- 
feited his  own.     This  event  became  the  subject  of  a 
tragedy,  composed   by  an   oflicer  named   Leblanc   de 
Villeneuve.     It  was  one  of  the  first  literary  productions 
of  the  colony. 

On  the  23d  of  September,  the  Intendant  Commis- 
sary, Michel  de  la  Rouvilliere,  made  a  favorable  report 
on  the  state  of  agriculture  in  Louisiana.  "  The  culti- 
vation of  the  wax  tree,"  says  he,  "has  succeeded 
admirably.  Mr.  Dubreuil,  alone,  has  made  six  thou- 
sand pounds  of  wax.  Others  have  obtained  as  hand- 
some results,  in  proportion  to  their  forces ;  some  went 
to  the  sea-shore,  where  the  wax  tree  grows  wild,  in 
order  to  use  it  in  its  natural  state.  It  is  the  only  lumi- 
nary used  here  by  the  inhabitants,  and  it  is  exported 
to  other  parts  of  America  and  to  France.  W^e  stand 
in  need  of  tillers  of  the  ground,  and  of  negroes.     The 

5 


:! 


I 


THE    MARQUIS    OF   VAUDREUIL. 


colony  prospers  rapidly  from  its  own  impulse,  and 
requires  only  gentle  stimulation.  In  the  last  three 
years,  forty-five  brick  houses  were  erected  in  New 
Orleans,  and  several  fine  new  plantations  were  estab- 
lished." 

A  short  time  after  writing  this  despatch,  Michel  de 
la  Rouvilliere  died,  and  was  succeeded  by  D'Auber- 
ville.  Under  the  administration  of  the  Marquis  of 
Vaudreuil,  the  expenses  of  the  colony  kept  steadily 
increasing,  and  amounted,  for  the  year  1752,  to 
930,767  livres. 

On  the  9th  of  February,  1753,  Kerlerec  took  pos- 
session of  the  government  of  Louisiana,  the  Marquis 
of  Vaudreuil  having  been  appointed  Governor  of 
Canada,  where  he  distinguished  himself,  in  1756,  by  the 
skill  and  courage  with  which  he  resisted  the  invasion  of 
the  English. 

The    administration   of   the    Marquis  of   Vaudreuil 
was  long  and  fondly  remembered  in  Louisiana,  as  an 
epoch  of  unusual   brilliancy,  but  which  was   followed 
up   by   corresponding    gloom.      His   administration,   if 
small  things  may  be  compared  with  great  ones,  was 
for  Louisiana,  with  regard  to  splendor,  luxury,  military 
display,  and  expenses  of  every  kind,  what  the  reign  of 
Louis  XIV.  had  been  for  France.     He  was  a  man  of 
patrician  birth  and  high  breeding,  who  liked  to  live  in 
a  manner  worthy  of  his  rank.      Remarkable   for  his 
personal  graces  and  comeliness,  for  the  dignity  of  his 
bearing  and  the  fascination  of  his  address,  he  was  fond 
of  pomp,  show,  and  pleasure ;   surrounded  by  a  host 
of  brilliant  officers,  of  wliom  he  was  the  idol,  he  loved 
to  keep  up  a  miniature  court,  in  distant  imitation  of 
that  of  Versailles;    and   long   after   he  had   departed, 
old    people   were    fond   of   talking   of   the   exquisitely 
refined    manners,    of    the    magnificent    balls,    of    the 


^  li 


THE  MARQUIS  OF  VAUDREUIL. 


67 


splendidly  uniformed  troops,  of  tlie  high-born  young 
officers,  and  of  the  many  other  unparalleled  things 
they  had  seen  in  the  days  of  the  Great  Marquis, 


m 


'm 


'  f*'i 


II; 


SECOND  LECTURE. 

Arrival  of  Governor  Kerlerec— He  snows  himself  favoradie  to  the  Induns 

—Ilia     DEALINf    WITH     THEM-IIlS    Ol-INION     OF   THE     IMIAIUTANTS    OF   L(.UL*IANA— 

Wis  Dfxriptio.v  ok  the  State  of  the  Country— llw  Ownion  of  the  French 
ANi.  Swiss  Trooi's— Reduction  of  the  Forces  and  of  the  ExrENSta  of  the 
Colony— Arrival  of  some  Emigrants  from  Lorraine— Aitrehensions  of  an 
Attack  from  the  English-Cruelty  of  the  French  Commander  at  Cat 
Island— He  ls  murdered  dy  his  Soldiers— Manner  in  which  they  are 
Pu.MsiiED— Hard  Fate  of  Baudrot— ])efen.",ive  Preparations  against  the 
English— Curious  Fact  as  to  Balize  Island— Revulsion  of  Kerlerec's  Sen- 
timents IN  relation  to  tub  Indians— Heavy  Exi'ensks  of  the  French  Admi- 
nistration in  Louisiana-Warfare  between  the  Capuchins  and  Jfsuii^ 
IHE  hNGLiSH  Cut  Off  all  Communication  between  France  and  Louisiana 
■-Defenceless  State  of  the  Coi.ony-JIilitary  Power  of  the  Choctaws  and 
Aliramons  in  1758— Arrival  of  the  Intendant  Rociiemore— Paper  Money  Ope- 
rations of  Rochemore— He  is  blamed  for  them  by  his  Government— Quar- 
rels between  Rochemore  and  Kerlerec— Rociiemore  is  Dismrsed  from 
Office  and  his  Friends  are  Embarked  for  France— Attempt  to  JIanufvcture 

feUGAR     FROM     THE     CaNE-NeW    OrI.EANS     FORTIFIED    WITH    A    DiTCII     AND    A    PaLI- 

sade— Arrival  of  Foucault  as  King's  Commissary— His  Descrii>tion  of  the 
(  oLONv— Cession  of  Louisiana  to  Spain  and  to  the  English— Protest  of  tiif 

jNi.IANS     against     THE     CeSSION— KeRLEREC     IS     RECALLED    AND    THROWN     INTO     THE 

Bastille— D'Abbadib  appointed  Governor— Descriition  of  the  Colony  my 
Redon  de  Rassac— The  English  take  possession  of  Mobile  and  Tombecbee— 
Bickerings  between  the  French  and  English— Hostility  of  the  Indians  of 
Louisiana  to  the  English- Engagement  between  the  English  Major  Loitus 
and  the  Indians  on  the  River  .Mississippi-I'Ixi.ulsion  of  the  Jesuits  from 
THE  Colony— D'Abbadie's  Descriition  ok  the  (\h,onv— Petition  of  the 
Merchants  of  New  Orleans  to  lyAi.BADiE— His  Opinion  ok  that  Petition- 
Monopoly  OF  Printing  granted  to  Braud— Letter  of  Louis  XV.  to  D'Ab- 
BADIE  on  the  Treaty  of  Cession. 

Kerlerec,  the  successor  of  the  Miirquis  ofVaudreuil, 
was  a  captain  in  the  Royal  Navy.  lie  was  a  distin- 
guished officer,  who  liad  been  in  active  service  at  sea 
twenty-five  years,  and  wlio  had  been  in  four  engage- 
ments, in  wliicli  he  had  displayed  ability  and  courage, 
and   had   received   several  wounds.     He   reached   the 


I  *  I 


*■"*.. 


i 


KERLEREC'S   OPINION   OF   THE   INDIANS. 


69 


1  THE  Indians 

K   LoULSIANA 

F  THE  FbENCII 
'ENSES  OF  TIIE 
E.NSIOXS    OF   AN 

NDEu   AT   Cat 

CII     THEY     ARE 
AGAINST     TIIE 

iRLEREc's  Sen- 
French  Admi- 
lND  Jesuits — 
Ni)  Louisiana 
,'hoctaws  and 
I  Money  Ope- 

JMENT — QuAR- 

smissei)  from 
Manufacture 

AND    A   PaLI- 
tPTION   OF  THE 

OTEKT   OF   THE 

.VN     INTO    THE 

( 'OLONY     IIY 

TOMUECBEE 

B  Indians  of 
[ajor  Loitus 
Jesuits  from 
•ion  (if  the 
T  Petition — 
V.  TO  D'Au- 


iiudreuil, 
a  distin- 
:e  at  sea 
engagc- 
courago, 
lied    the 


Balize  on  the  24th  of  January,  1753,  New  Orleans  on 
the  3d  of  February,  and  was  installed  as  Governor  on 
the  9th  of  that  month. 

Kerlerec  began  his  administration .  by  showing  him- 
self very  well  disposed  towards  the  Indians,  in  whose 
favor  he  seems  to  have  imbibed  very  decided  impres- 
sions on  his  arrival   in   Louisiana.      On   the   11th  of 
June,  he  convened  a  court-martial,  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  representations  made  by  the  Choctaws, 
on  behalf  of  certain  deserters  who  had  been  arrested 
by  them  and  delivered  up  to  the  French,  under  the 
stipulations  of  a  treaty,  by  which  the  Choctaws  were 
bound   to   arrest   all   the   French    deserters,    and   the 
French,  on  the  other  side,  had  obligated  themselves 
to  pardon  those  that  should  be  arrested  and  delivered 
up  by  the  Choctaws.     The  Indians  had  fliithfully  com- 
plied with  their  part  of  the  treaty ;    but  the  French 
seemed  disposed  to  forget  their  obligations,  and  were 
detainmg   in   prison,   probably    with   the   intention   of 
proceeding   to   more   rigorous   means   of  punishment, 
three  deserters  who  had  been  put  in  their  possession 
under  the  treaty.     The  Indians  had  justly  threatened 
to  consider  themselves  as  released  from  their  obliga- 
tion of  arresting  French  deserteis,  if  those  that  t  „.c 
in  prison  did  not  receive  a  full  pardon.     The  court- 
martial,  presided  over  by  Kerlerec,  decided  in  favor 
of  the  demand  of  the  Indians,  who  were  exceedingly 
gratified,  when  Kerlerec  gave  them  the  official  infor- 
mation of  that  fact,  and  assured   them   that,   for  the 
future,  the  rights  of  the  Indians  and  of  the   French 
would  be  impartially  weighed  in  the  same  scales. 

On  the  20th  of  August,  the  new  Governor  wrote  to 
his  government :-"  I  am  satisfied  with  the  Choctaws. 
It  seems  to  me  that  they  are  true  to  their  plighted 
faith.     But  we  must  be  the  same  in  our  transactions 


!      I 


ti 


f?>" 


70    KERLEREC  ENDEAVOURS  TO  CONCILIATE  THE  INDIANS. 


n 


with  them.  They  are  men  who  reflect,  and  who  have 
more  logic  and  precision  in  their  reasoning  than  it  is 
commonly  thought." 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Choctaw   chiefs,  Kerlerec  re- 
proached them,  in  a  friendly  tone,  with  their  receiv- 
ing, in  their  villages,  Englisli  traders.     He  told  them 
that,  so  long  as  they  extended  one  hand  to  the  French 
and  the  other  to  the  English,  they  were  to  expect  con- 
stant troubles,  because  they  ought  not   to  forget  that 
the  English  were  the  originators  of  all  the  difficulties 
which  had  happened  between   the  Choctaws  and  the 
French,  and  which  had  divided  the  Choctaws  them- 
selves into  hostile  parties.     To  these  observations,  the 
Indians  replied,  with  a  good  deal  of  sense  and  truth : 
"  The  original  wrongs  and  faults  are  on  the  side  of  the 
French.     They  are  the  first  of  the  white  race  whom  we 
have  known,  and  who  have  inspired  us  with  new  wants, 
from  which  we  cannot  free  ourselves,  and  for  the  satis- 
faction of  which  they  are  often  but  partially  prepared, 
when  not  totally  unprovided.     The  English  study  our 
tastes  with  more  care  than  you  do  ;  they  have  a  more 
diversified  and  a  richer  stock  of  merchandise.     Hence 
are  we  driven  to  trade  with  them,  when  our  hearts  are 
with  you.     It  is  a  matter  of  necessity,  not  of  choice. 
Satisfy  all  our  wants,  and  we  shall,  now  and  for  ever, 
renounce  the  English." 

Kerlerec  admitted  the  strength  of  these  observations, 
to  which  he  called  the  attention  of  the  French  govern- 
ment, and  he  took  this  circumstance  as  a  theme  for 
requesting  a  larger  supply  than  usual,  of  every  sort  of 
merchandise.  He  also  convened  the  chiefs  of  the 
Arkansas,  whom  he  feasted  with  great  liberality,  and 
whom  he  dismissed,  much  delighted  with  their  recep- 
tion at  New  Orleans,  after  having  recommended  them 
to  send,  all  along  the  Mississippi,  for  about  forty  leagues 


■I 


•# 


CHANGES    AMONG    THE    OFFICERS. 


71 


the 


up  and  down,  war  expeditions  against  the  Chickasaws, 
the  Cherokees,  and  the  Ciiaouannons. 

With  regard  to  the  Chickasaws,  although  their  num- 
bers had  been  much  curtailed,  they  were  still  very  trou- 
blesome, and  had  lately  killed  all  the  men  of  a  convoy 
destined  for  the  Illinois  district,  sparing  only  one  girl, 
ten  years  old,  whom  they  carried  away.  Kerlercc  be- 
took himself  to  ransoming  several  prisoners,  who  had 
long  been  among  the  Indians.  For  the  ransom  of  every 
male  adult,  the  Governor  gave  one  hundred  pounds 
weight  of  deer  skin,  and  proportionately  less  for  females 
and  children. 

Kerlerec  also  proceeded  to  make  some  mutations 
among  the  officers  of  the  several  posts.  "  I  have 
recalled,"  says  he,  in  one  of  his  despatches,  "  Mr.  de 
Pontalba,  who  had  the  command  of  Pointe  Coupee, 
although  he  ought  to  have  been  kept  there  for  the 
good  of  that  locality ;  but  I  was  obliged  to  give  way 
under  the  pressure  of  the  calumnies  of  a  gang  of 
intriguers,  who  had  spread  the  rumor  that  Mr.  de  Pont- 
alba would  retain  his  post,  because  he  h  d  annually 
paid  to  the  Governor  a  stipend  of  twelve  thousand 
livres  ;  and  that  the  same  influence  would  be  brought 
to  bear  upon  me  with  the  same  results.  Before  the 
deparuire  of  Mr.  de  Vaudreuil,  a  petition  signed  by 
forty  of  the  most  respectable  inhabitants  of  Pointe 
Coupee  had  been  presented  to  me,  to  retain  Mr.  de 
Pontalba  in  the  command.  But  I  had  to  yield  to 
malicious  insinuations,  and  I  must  confess  that  this 
circumstance  has  filled  me  with  grief,  with  humiliation, 
with  contempt  and  disgust  toward  the  people  of  this 
country." 

The  fact  is  that  Kerlerec,  in  less  than  six  months 
after  his  arrival,  was  beginning  to  see  the  tide  of  a 
sea   of  trouble   and    vexations   rising   fast   upon   him. 


,: 


tl 


72 


STATE    OF    THE    COLON V. 


Many  of  the  officers  were  discontent(>(l,  and  the  Capu- 
chins, whom  he  seems  to  have  oilended,  were  usiiicr 
against  him  all  iheir  priestly  influence. 

The  state  of  the   colony  itself  was  not  such  as  to 
present   a   very  gratifyin<r  s[)ectacle  to  its  Governor, 
and,  in  connection  with  this  subj(>ct,  Kerierec  wrote  to 
his  <rovermnent  :  "  Th(>  (Jerman  Settlement  has  not  re- 
covered from  the  unfortunate  blow  which  it  received 
from   the  Indians,  in  or  about   the   year  1718.     The 
inhabitants  of  that  post  withdraw  from   it  insensibly, 
and  th(>rcfore  their  mnnbers  diminish  every  day.     To 
those    wlio    remain    nothing    can   inspire    a    feeling    of 
security,  and  they  are  so  disgusted  with  their  present 
position,   that  many  of  them  have   petitioned  me  for 
lands  elsewhcie,  unless  I  grant  them  an  increase  of 
troops   for  their   protection.      They  even   desire    that 
those  troops   be  Swiss,  on  account  of  tlie   sympathies 
and  alhnities  which  they  have  with  the  men  of  that 
nation,  and  because  the  Swiss,  b(>ing  disposed  to  hard 
woridng,  will  help  them  in  their  agricultural  labors,  and 
will  marry  and  settle  among  them,  nuich  more  than  the 
French  arc  likely  to  do.     Another  reason  is,  that  the 
troops  of  our  nation,  on  account  of  the  horrid  acts  of 
which  they  are  known  to  be  capable,  luive  inspired  the 
German  settlers  who  have  retained  a  proper  sense  of 
their  worth  and  dignity,  with  a  deep  aversion  to  having 
with  them  any  connnunication.     1  have  sent  to  these 
Germans  fifteen  men  of  the  Swiss  company  of  Velezand, 
and  for  the  reasons  here  given,  f  solicit  an  increase  of 
the  Swiss  troops.     The  Swiss  behave  exceedingly  well : 
it  would  be  necessary  to  carry  tlunr  number  to  three 
hundred.     I  would  prefer  reducing  the  French  troops 
and  augmenting  the  Swiss ;  such  is  the  superiority  of 
the  latter  over  the  former!" 

When  reading  the   despatches  of  the  governors  of 


-■^.  „ 


Jr-iV' 


■w 


I; 


f  \% 


CHARACTER    OF   THE    TROOPS. 


73 


using 


Louisifmti  for  a  scries  of  fifty-four  years,  one  is  lonipfod 
to  b(!lieve,  that  tho  French  goveriuntsnt   used  to  select 
Iroui  tlie  convicts  in  the  King's  jails,  th(!  men  wlio  were 
sent  as  soldiers  to  Louisiana.      Bienville  com[)i;ii ued  of 
the  disgrace  and  gri(>f  inflicted  upon  liirn  by  putting 
under   his   conunand  certain    specimens    of  humanity, 
whose  dwarfish  siz(>  did  not  exceed  four  feet  and  a  half, 
whose   stunted  and   crooked  proportions  offended  the 
sight,  and  whose   vices  were    only   eciualled    by   their 
cowardice.      Perier  blushed  at  the  necessity  of  confess- 
ing, that  his  soldiers    isually  fled  at  the  first  flash  of  an 
Indian  gun.     lie  even  said,  in  one  of  his  despjilches, 
that   his   trooj)s  were   so   wretchedly    bad,    that   they 
seemed  to  have  been   picked   ])urposely  for  the  colony, 
and  that  it  would  be  much  better  to  trust  negroes  on 
the   battle-fi(!ld,  and  use   them  as   sokliors,  were   they 
not   too   valuable    property,    because    they,     at     least, 
were  brave  men.     Now  comes  Kerlerec,  who,  pouring 
out  the  fast  and  bitterest  drop  remaining  in  the  vial 
of  vituperation,  informs  his  government  that  it  would 
be  more  expedient  to  send  him  Swiss  instead  of  French 
troops,  on  account  of  the  decided  superiority  of  the 
former,    and   because   the  apprehension  of  the  horrid 
acts  of  which  the  French  troops  were  known  to  be 
capable,  had  inrluced  the  colonists  to  wish  to  avoid  tho 
contaminating  and  dangerous  contact  of  such  villains. 
What  had  become,  one  is  tempt(!d  to  exclaim,  of  the 
soldiers  of  Turenno  and  of  Conde  /     What  liad  become 
of  the  chivalry,  that  had  tlireatened,  under  Louis  XIV 
to  subdue  the  whol(<  of  Europe  ?     What  had  become  of 
the  heroism,  that  bad  blazed  uninterruptedly  through 
so  many   centuries,  and  that  had   so  freely  spilt   the 
noble  blood  of  France,  in  every  part  of  the  world,  from 
tlie  days  when  the  sword  of  a  (iaul  weighed  so  heavily 
m  the  Roman  scales  at  the  foot  of  the  Capitol,  down 


74 


TRimiTi;  TO  Tin;  Indians. 


i!    It 


to  tlio  iTcuMilI)'  r()U<i,lil  biilllo  of  J'\)nt(>n()y  ?  Tlio  fields" 
of  Canuda  wore  soon  destined  to  show  tliat  the  French 
soidi<>rs,  under  jVlontcahn  iind  others,  iuid  nnderirono 
no  d(^<r(>nera«'y.  Hut  the  stern  inij)iirtiidity  ot  the 
hist(M-i;m  ninkes  it  his  duty  to  record  these  words, 
which  y\v\c  written  hy  a  French  ollicer  (Perier)  when 
iiivinii  an  account  of  a  panic  :  ^^  I  aui  grieved  to  see  that 
t/icrc  is  less  of  the  Frairli  ton/xramciit  in  Louisinint  tlinn 
afnjwiirrc  r/.sr."  It  is  a  reiiel',  however,  to  remark  that 
every  Governor,  ahliouirii  applyiufj;  the  most  with<'ring 
expressions  of  contempt  to  the  colonial  l"'reiu'h  sol<h(>rs, 
who,  <;(>nerally,  W(>re  counnatuh'd  by  ollicers  of 
(hstin;2;uished  abilities  and  <^reat  intrepi(hty,  sehhim 
fails  to  pay  a  (latterinfr  homatre  io  the  conra<r('  of  the 
French  colonists  and  of  the  few  Creoles  or  natives  of 
Louisiana. 

After  the  deparlun*  of  Vaudreuil,  \]u)  troops  w(U'e 
reduced  to  thirteen  hundred  and  lifty  men.  The  rest 
of  the  forc(>s  of  the  colony  was  composed  of  four  com- 
panies of  militia  and  one  company  of  land  waiters 
(oardes-cotes),  the  Avhole  amount injr  to  about  five 
hundred  men.  The  object  of  this  reduction  was  to 
diminish  the  expenses,  which  for  this  year,  1753,  losc 
to  887,20.")  livres. 

The  color;'  had  been  advancino-  in  -.n^e^  without 
having  feathered  stren<ijth  enough  to  cease  to  b(!  tribu- 
tary to  the  Indians;  for,  at  the  begiiming  of  tlu>  year 
1751,  Kerlerec  wrote  to  his  go>ernnu'nt  :  "  I  lack  mer- 
chandise to  trade  w  ith,  and,  particularly,  to  make  to  the 
Choctaws  the  custonuiry  presents  Avhicli  tlu^y  expect, 
and  of  Avhich  three  have  now  become*  due,  without  this 
debt  having  bee  i  discharged.  This  is  the  cause  of 
their  addressins;  me  vehement  and  even  insolent  re- 
proaches.     They  threaten  to  call  in  tlu;  l^nglish." 

This  year,  the  population  of  the  colony  was  slightly 


".t 


TRA«IC   OCCURRF.NrF,. 


75 


JncroMRod,  by  flio  arrival  of  some  familios  from  liOr- 
raiiio.  Tlicy  wcn^  locatcid  at  tlio  Gorman  .sottlomcnt, 
which,  as  wo  liavo  noon,  was  uiidorf^oing  a  gradual 
procosH  of  dopopulalion,  that  was  chockod  by  this  cir- 
cumstanco.  Thoy  were  induatrious  people,  and  proved 
a  valuables  ac«iiiisition. 

The  colony  was,  at  this  time,  under  great  apprehen- 
sion of  b(!ing  attacked  by  tiie  I'^nirjisii,  and,  on  the  {)th 
of  July,  K(;rl(!rec  wrote  to  his  government  in  v(;ry 
strong  language,  to  represent  the  utterly  defcncel(!ss 
Stan;  of  the  colony,  which  was  open  on  all  sides,  and 
destitute  of  everything.  "And  yet,"  said  Kerlerec, 
"  the  English  an;  moving  everywhere  about  us,  and 
threaten  to  interrupt  our  communications  with  the 
Illinois.'" 

From  the  fear  of  danger  coming  from  abroad,  the 
attention  of  the  colonists  was  diverted,  for  a  time,  i)y 
an  event  which  filled  them  with  horror,  and  the 
impression  of  which  has  been,  in  the  traditions  of  the 
fireside,  transmitted  to  us  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion. 

In  Cat  Island,  there  was  a  small  garrison  command- 
ed by  an  officer  named  Roux,  or  Duroux,  who  was 
extrem(>ly  cruel  and  avaricious.  He  used  to  employ 
his  men  making  charcoal,  which  he  sold  for  his  private 
benefit ;  and  for  the  slightest  oflTcnce,  ordering  them  to 
be  stript  stark  naked,  he  had  them  tied  to  trees,  in 
the  midst  of  a  swamp,  and  in  the  thickest  of  swarms 
of  musquitoes.  There  he  doomed  them  to  endure  the 
torments  of  a  long  night.  The  natural  result  ensued; 
the  victims  rose  upon  the  tyrant,  put  liim  to  de-^th. 
fled  to  the  mainland  near  Mobile,  and,  joining  some 
English  traders,  endeavored  to  reach  Georgia  across 
the  Indian  territories.  But,  at  the  bidding  of  the 
French,  a  party  of  Choctaws "  pursued  the  fugitives,  and 


Iti 


lii     ) 


76 


TRAiJir    (MTIKKKNCf;. 


hi.'m'o  iImmu  [»ris(ui(M-x,  willi  the  (<xc('|»ti(>ii  of  one,  wlin 
livMu^yvtl  liim.seir  I'luv  vv«>ri«  takcMi  l«»  N<>\v  OrN'iiiiH, 
wlu'rr  they  wen;  Irieil.  'Vwo  were  broken  on  the 
uIutI,  and  onr  ot'llirrn,  who  wut*  Ji  SwisM,  wan,  in  c(in- 
fonuity,  it  is  ^.lid,  >villi  tlic  prnal  <(m1('  ohscrvi'd  by  tlic 
Swiss  in  (lie  snvicc  i»l'  I'mmr,  (ilincd  in  a  (-oHin,  and 
(liorrcsco  nMcn'iiH)  savvrd  asniulrf  riti^ht  a<;njss  tin 
wiiisl,  by  t\v(i  sorfj;('antM  of  \hv  Swiss  Iniops.  In  oni 
days,  it  is  niorr  than  doubtful,  conHi(|,<i'in«;  tlur  provo- 
cation, >vli(>tlu<r  these  nurn  would  liave  beei\  punished  at 
all.  So  dilVer<Mit  are  the  ju(l«i;n»ents  of  man  uu(N;r  iher 
n(n(T-eeasin^  modifications  produciHl  by  taut;! 

The  Indians,  \vhos«?  greediness  and  acuieness  n<;ver 
lost  an  oj»porlnnity  of  ol)tainin<j;  sonn;  (»resenls  or 
indenniities  from  the  IVench,  pretended  that  lliiiir 
territory  had  been  [)ollnted  by  the  suicide  of  the  French 
soldier  who  had  put  an  nd  to  his  life ;  and  th(;y 
claimed  a  pres(>nt  as  an  atonement  for  the  crinu!.  It 
was  the  Alibamons  who  nr<^(><l  this  preletjsion,  and 
Iverlcrec,  wh<^  wished  to  conciliate  them,  acceded  to 
their  tleiivand. 

When  Uoux  wa«  nuuderttl  by  the  soldi<'rs  under  his 
conuuand,  there  was,  on  (.'at  Island,  a  man  named 
Haudrot,  who  had  been  thrown  into  prison  by  Uoux, 
for  disobeditMice  to  one  of  his  arbitrary  and  oppnssivc 
orders.  Banilrot  had  fre(|ueiilly  been  employed  by 
the  successive  fj[<)V(>rnors  of  Louisiana,  to  ne^ijociatx? 
with  the  Indian  nations,  and  km  had  always  shown 
himself  worthy  of  the  trust  reposed  in  him.  He  was 
held  in  hi<^h  estimation  by  tb  Indians,  of  whoso 
languages  he  had  accjuinnl  a  perfect  knowledge,  and 
he  was  well  ac<iuainted  with  their  manners,  their 
customs,  their  laws,  and  the  geography  of  the  territo- 
ries which  they  claimed  as  their  own.  Wonders  wen? 
related  of  his   physical    strength,  and  had  made  liim 


FKAUN    OF    INVASION. 


77 


him 


knrmn    \]\r   and  wide.     Tim    CMioctiiWH,  in    pjirticiilar, 
liiid   (tonccivcd    such   rcHpcof   nn  I    li  ifiidHliip   fur    hiio, 
tliu(   lln'y   hiid  Md<>|)t('d  liitri,  and    lind    ^'rarifcd  liii[i  all 
tlu'    j)rivilcm'H   poHHcsHcd  by  anv  of  tliiMr  rac«!.      Tln! 
^^oldiors    ol    Roiix,  idfcr    lijivin;,'    murdered    fluiir  corn- 
in.'iiidcr,  (or(-(!d    llaiidrot,    to    act    as   their  ^iiidc,  to  a 
rcrf.iiii  <!ist!iii(:<',  tlnoii^rh   tlio  territory  of  ti  "   fiidiariM, 
and  Ihcii  .s(>nt  hiin  hnek,  with  a  c.ertificiitcj  Hint  he  had 
yiel<i(!d  t.idy  ♦()  viol(«ii(;e  on   their  piirf.     I(e  was  fried, 
liow<!V(T,  and   loiind   f,'iiilty,  as   an  !iceoni|)lio(^   to   tli(! 
Hi^ditoftlu!   soldiers.     Ta   th('   horror  (all  llu;  inha- 
bitants of  r-oiiisiartii,  with   idrnost  <'very  one  ofwiiom 
he  had  l)er(»nie  arcpaiinted  in  tlio  coiirs(!  of  his  travt^ls 
Jinrl  w!inderni<,'s,  -md  w    ose  sympathies  ho  li  >d  gained, 
he   was    hrokc  M  on    fJK^   wIkh-I,    and    hi<   hcnly,   hein^r 
den  cd  ('hristinn  sepnitnn;,  was   flnn<r       o  the  Missis- 
sippi, as  ifil  had  heen  tla^  oMensive  carcass  of  tlu;  vilcjst 
animal.      Snch   wmtc    the    scones    acted    in    J.onisiana 
in  ITf)!!     This   barbarous  deed   strnck  with  astonish- 
ment even  the  savajres,  and   inspired   th(;rr)  with   an   in- 
<li<rnation  which  the\  did  liot  fbar  loudly  to  express  to 
(iovernoi   lu-rh  rec.     The  descendants  of  Haudrot  arc 
still  in  exislence  in  Louisiana. 

As  already  n?enlion(Ml,  ihc  colony  was  uler  a  lively 
sense  of  the  dan«rer  of  for(>i«rn  invasion,  ;  id  ;(  became 
necessary  to  quiet  the  apprehensions  of  ft  inhabitants 
by  defensive  pr(>[)arations.  On  the  2()th  of  September, 
Kerlcroc  and  tlu;  Intendant  Commissary,  D'Auberviile, 
said,  in  a  -^patcb  to  their  jvovernm.nt :—"  The  land, 
which  is  formed  '  alluvial  deposits,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Mississippi,  is  so  deficient  in  substance  and  solidity, 
that  It  is  not  possible,  without  consid  rabk;  expenses, 
to  establish  thereon  a  settlement  or  durable  fortifica- 
tions. The  fori  'Ications  which  the  India  Company 
had  caused  to  be  erected  there,  and  which,  were  exten- 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

.1   * 

ShH 

;i 

Bill 


II  I*  iiJBtoiiriiiitilKi 


78 


<;\iN  or  Till".  .^iississii'iM  on  tiii:  nvi.v 


Hivr,  arr  <U'sln>y»<|.  TIumt  ;irr  rriniiiiiin^'  luit  li>w 
vcslinrrn  of  tliiiii,  uliich  jirr  tliiily  sinkiii<«  into  tho 
mud,  iiiul  iin>  jiluays  niHlcr  wjiirr  vvIk  ii  {\\v  ti(l(^  riHOH, 
iiolwitlistjiiuliiin  tlu'  n>|»iiiis  iiisulc  lo  (licin  in  17  M  and 
171^'.  It  is  iinport.-mt,  however,  to  luivr  at  that 
localit)'  a  Hlicllrr  lor  a  small  garrison,  lor  pilots  and 
tlnMr  necessaries,  and  lor  those  thin;;s  of  which 
the  coniini>  and  «le|)artin<f  vcsHels  may  stand  in 
need." 

*'  A  liriy  oun  shi|>,  with  a  solid  hottom,  a  w(!ll 
caulked  waist,  and  the  rablets  I'ronj  stern  to  stem,  u|> 
an<l  down,  starboard  and  larboard,  lined  with  a,  shed 
ol  lead,  loin-  inclu's  wide,  sheathed  with  nails  and  red 
cypress  wood  to  preserv«'  it  from  the  worms,  would 
last  at  l(>ast  thirty  years  in  the  river.  It  would  be  th(^ 
best  substitute  lor  a  fort,  which  th(>  nature  of  the  soil 
renders  impossible." 

A  lact  of  some  importance  is  mentioned  in  this  very 
same  despatch  :— «'  JJaiize  Island,  they  said,  which, 
tw(>nty  y«>ars  a<jo,  was  half  a  leajrue  at  sea,  has  now 
fallen  back  one  leaifuc  and  a  half  on  one  side  of  the 
river,  and  joins  that  |)roi(>ction  of  land  which  the 
J\!ississi|)pi  oradually  forms  in  carry iuir  its  waters  into 
the  (Jnlf.  In  this  way,  the  island  is  now  distant 
from  the  ships  comini>-  from  sea.  This  circumstance 
makes  it  the  more  imperative  to  establish  a  lloatiuf* 
post." 

It  there  is  no  e.\aj>;«feration  in  the  assertion  of  the 
fact  mentioned  in  this  despatch,  the  Mississippi  had 
sained  on  the  Ciulf,  six  miU's  in  twenty  y(>ars,  and  if 
his  j)ro<Tress  has  ever  after  continued  in  the  same  pro- 
portion, tho  great  Father  of  Rivers  must  be,  in  IS.'jO, 
about  twenty-nine  miles  fartlu>r  than  in  1751,  in  his 
career  of  comjuost  over  the  sea,  and  in  his  Iovin<^  ap- 
proach tow  ard  the  fair  Island  of  Cuba. 


I'llARH    OF    OHITINII    INVANION. 


79 


In  \\\v  month  of  DfuuMiibor,  tlioro  wjis  iit   Mobilo  a 

\rrv\\V  Icstivnl,  <rivcii  on  flu;  occuHioii  of  tlu!  (li.stiihution 

of  prcsntits  to  llic   liKliiinH.     Sati.slicd  with   th<'ir  .shiirc, 

Ihc   ChoctiivvH  solemnly    voted   to   K(;rl«;r<'(:   the   title  of 

l'\itli(r  of  the  Clinvldws.     IJiit   Kerlenu;  .seemed,  at  this 

tmie,  to  h!iv(!  )i  H!i(l  opinion  of  tlu;  virtues  of  his  children, 

for  he  \vrot(!   to   his  j^rovjM-mnent : — "  1   am   snjlleii'ntly 

a(M|iiainte(i  with   tho   ClioetawH   to  know  that  they  nro 

covelous,  lyin;jj,  and  treacheroiis.      So  that   I   keep  on 

my  (Tuard  without  showiiifr  it."     'rhi.s  is  a  very  dilferent 

appreciation   from   tin;  on(!  made   hy  Kerhsree  the  y<!ar 

precedintr,   when    he    sai<l    of  tluj    Choctaws  : — "  [  am 

.satisfied  with  than.     It  scnns  to  me  that  they  are  true  to 

their  pliirhttd  faith.      Theij  are  men  who  reflect,  and  who 

have  more  loi>ic  and  /trrcision  in  their  reasonin<r  than  it  is 

conunonli/  thouoht.'"      Thus   Ivc^lerec  had    (;han'r<!d    his 

mind,  as  other  men   have  done,  and  will  do,  on   more 

than  one  subject. 

WhateviT  was  the  real  character  of  the  Choctaws, 
they  had  nMuainc'd  true  to  the  French  in  makin^r  war 
airainst  the  Chickasaws,  who  would  have  lon^r  b(jen 
destroyed,  if  the  Cherokees  and  Chaouannons,  who 
wen;  in  the  habit  of  marrying  amor.^-  them,  had  not 
supplied  them  with  constant  recruits.  Hut  their  losses 
had  been  so  heavy  for  a  series  of  years,  that  it  was 
evident  that  the  triumj)h  of  the  French  wsis  soon  to  be 
complete  over  these  inveterate  enemies. 

Although  the  French  government  had  recommended 
the  strictest  economy,  and  had  diminished  the  nmnber 
of  the  troops,  the  expenses  of  the  year  1754  rose  to 
963,124  livres. 

The  year  1755  brought  on  an  increase  of  the  fear 
of  British  invasion.  In  the  month  of  June,  Kerlerec 
sent  twelve  men  to  Cat  Island,  to  watch  the  approach 
of  the  English,  who  were  expected  soon  to  make  their 


80 


RELIOIOUS    WARFARE. 


appearance  at  Si)ip  Island ;  and  these  men  were 
instructed  to  give  him  timely  notice  of  the  operations 
of  the  enemy.  He  also  increased  the  fortifications  at 
the  English  Tm-n,  and  he  wrote  to  his  government  for 
an  additional  force  of  five  hundred  men.  This  year, 
the  English  had  attacked  the  French  in  Canada,  and 
Kerlerec  had  great  fears  for  Louisiana,  which  the 
English  had  always  coveted.  He  became  therefore 
clamorous  for  help  from  the  mother  country.  But 
France  was  then  undergoing  the  deleterious  influence 
resulting  from  the  Orleans  regency,  and  from  the 
corrupt  and  pusillanimous  reign  of  Louis  XV.  Her 
exhausted  energies  were  not  such  as  to  enable  her  to 
protect  effectually  and  to  preserve  her  distant  pos- 
sessions. 

At  that  time,  there  sprung  up  in  the  colony  a  sort 
of  religious  warfare,  which  added  to  the  d;,.iraction 
produced  by  the  expectation  of  perils  from  abroad. 
In  1717,  the  Capuchins  of  the  province  of  Champagne, 
in  France,  had  secured  for  their  body  exclusive  eccle- 
siastical jurisdiction  over  New  Orleans  and  a  large 
portion  of  the  territory  of  Louisiana.  In  1726,  the 
Jesuits  had  also  obtained  permission  to  settle  in  the 
colony  ;  and  in  order  to  avoid  all  collision  with  the  Ca- 
puchins, their  jurisdiction  had  been  confined  to  a  remote 
region  in  the  upper  part  of  the  colony.  But  they  had 
taken  care  to  procure,  as  an  apparently  insignificant 
favor,  that  their  Superior  might  reside  in  New  Orleans, 
on  condition  that  he  should  not  discharge  there  any  eccle- 
siastical function^  unless  it  should  be  with  the  consent 
of  the  Superior  of  the  Capuchins.  This  was  an  enter- 
ing wedge,  which  the  well  known  and  exquisite 
dexterity  of  the  Jesuits  turned  to  goodly  purpose,  so 
far  as  their  interest  was  concerned.  Enough  had  been 
granted  to  men  in  whom  the  energy  of  enterprise  was 


RELIGIOUS    WARFARE. 


81 


equal  to  tho  sagacious  darin^  of  conception  and  to  the 
artful  readiness  of  c.xGcution.     Thus  they  began  with 
obtaining    for    their    Superior,    from    the    Bishop    of 
Quebec,  in  whose  diocese  Louisiana  was  included,  a 
commission  of  Grand  Vicar,  to  be  carried  into  effect 
within   the   limits  of  the  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  of 
the  Capuchins,  with  which  they  had  no  right  to  inter- 
fere,  in    virtue    of  the    stipulated    conditions    of   the 
contract  entered  into  between  the  Capuchins  and  the 
India  Company,  in  1717.     The  Jesuits  pretended  that 
this  was   not  a  violation  of  that  contract,  because  their 
Superior  did  not  assume  to  act  as  Jesuit,  but  as  (irand 
Vicar  and  representative   of  the  Bishop   of  Quebec  in 
his  diocese  of  Louisiana.     But  the   Superior  Council, 
siding  with  the  Capuchins,  had  refused  to  admit  and 
to  record  the  nomination  made  by  the  Bishop.     Never- 
theless, the  Jesuits  had  gradually  usurped  many  of  the 
functions  of  the  Capuchins,  in  spite  of  the  strenuous 
opposition  of  the  latter,  and  had  carried  their  audacity 
so  far  as  to  threaten  to  interdict  their  rivals  altogether. 
The  poor  Capuchins,  who  were  completely  bewiklered, 
and  who  were  wanting  in  the  spirit  and  ability  neces- 
sary to  cope  with  such  adversaries,   contented  them- 
selves  with  uttering   loud   complaints,  and    clamoring 
for  the   help  of  the  government.     Unluckily   for  (hefr 
cause,  they  had  committed  the  fault  of  acting  with  too 
much  expansion   of  good  nature  towards  th'e  Jesuits. 
For  instance,  on  the  9th  of  March,  1752,  Rev(>rcnd 
Father  Dagobert,  the  Superior  of  the  Capuchins,  had 
had     the     imprudent     courtesy     of    inviting     l^ither 
Baudoin,  the  Superior  of  the  Jesuits,  to  give"his  bene- 
diction to  the  Chapel  of  the  Hospital,  built  for  the 
poor  of  the  parish  of  New  Orleans.     Father  Baudoin, 
the  Jesuit,  assented  with  pious  alacrity  to  the  proposi- 
tion ot  Father  Dagobert,  the  Capuchin,  which  alacrity 

0 


:i  m 


ill 


!    II 


* 


M" 


82 


INTRIGUES    OF    THE    ENGLISH. 


was  stimulated  by  the  circumstance  that  Father  Dago- 
bert,  on  tliat  occasion,  had,  with  Christian  meekness, 
offered  to  act,  an  '  did  act,  as  aid,  or  assistant,  to 
the  proud  Jesuit,  thiit  is,  in  an  inferior  capacity. 
Father  J3audoin  availed  himself  of  this  circumstance 
as  a  wea|)on  against  the  Ca[»uchins.  lie  said  that  ho 
had  published  his  letters  patent  as  Grand  Vicar,  imme- 
diately after  having  received  them,  and  that,  altliough 
he  had  assumed  this  title,  and  announced  his  determi- 
nation to  act  as  such,  no  objection  had  been  raised  to 
his  causing,  in  this  capacity,  certain  publication  to  be 
made,  on  the  26th  of  February,  1752,  with  regard  to 
the  celebration  of  the  .Tubilec  in  the  parish  of  New 
Orleans  ;  that,  subsequently,  he  had  given  his  bene- 
diction, in  the  same  capacity,  to  the  Chapel  of  the 
Hospital,  and  that,  having  thus  been  openly  recognized 
Vicar  General  of  LoweT  Louisiana,  it  was  now  too  late 
for  the  Capuchins  to  dispute  his  title  and  the  |)reroga- 
tives  thereto  appertaining.  This  was  the  question 
which  had  agitated  tlie  colony  for  several  years,  and 
which  still  remained  undecided  in  1755.  It  was  called 
the  War  of  the  Jesuits  mid  the  Capuchins,  and  pro- 
duced much  irritation  at  the  time.  It  gave  rise  to 
acrimonious  writings,  squibs,  pasquinades,  and  satirical 
songs.  The  women,  in  particular,  made  themselves 
conspicuous  for  the  vivacity  of  their  zeal  cither  for  one 
or  the  other  party. 

The  year  175(5  passed  off  without  leaving  in  its 
course  anything  worth  recording.  Kerlerec  continued 
to  complain  of  the  grievous  state  of  destitution  from 
which  the  colony  was  suffering,  and  of  the  intrigues 
of  the  English,  whom  he  represented  as  gaining  much 
ground  and  influence  with  the  Indians.  In  a  despatch 
of  tlic  1st  of  April,  he  says  :— "  The  governors  of 
Virginia  and  Carolina  have   offered   rewards  for  our 


DISCONTENT   OF    THE    INDIANS. 


83 


heads.  I  bolicvo  that  the  Enghsh  government  is  not 
aware  of  it ;  otherwise,  it  would  be  an  abomination. 
Our  Indians  have  frequently  proposed  to  bring  to  me 
English  scalps,  and  I  have  always  rejected  their  offer 
with  indignation."  Notwithstanding  the  destitution  in 
which  the  colony  was  represented  to  be,  its  expenses 
went  up,  this  year,  to  829,3f)8  livres. 

On  the  14th  of  March,  1757,  the  Intendant  Com- 
missary,  D'Auberville,  died,  and  was  succeeded,  ad 
interim,  l)y  Bobe  Dcsclozcaux. 

The  English  had  nearly  cut  oft'  all  communication 
between  France  and  Louisiana,  and  Kcrlcrec  found 
himself  so  much  in  want  of  ammunition,  that  he  sent 
to  Vera  Cruz  for  powder,  but  all  he  could  obtain  from 
the  Governor  of  that  place,  was  twenty-one  thousand 
•six  hundred  and  twenty-three  pounds  of  an  inferior 
Cjuality. 

On  the  21st  of  October,  Kerlerec  informed  his 
government  that  he  had  wi-ittcn  fifteen  despatches  in 
cypher  without  receiving  an  answer,  and  that  the 
colony  WMS  so  defenceless,  that  it  would  yield  to  the 
first  attack,  particularly  if  the  French  were  abandoned 
by  the  Indians,  who,  so  far,  had  been  their  allies, 
and  who  were  showing  much  dissatisfaction,  "  The 
English,"  Kerlerec  wrote,  *'  have  taken  very  eflicacious 
means  to  capture  all  ships  bound  to  Louisiana.  They 
have  established  a  {jcrmancnt  cruise  ;>t  Cape  St. 
Antonio  do  Cuba,  and  their  privateers,  spreadin<r 
desolation  among  our  coasters,  pounce  upon  them  a1 
the  very  mouth  of  the  Mississippi.  In  a  word,  we 
are  lacking  in  everything,  and  the  discontent  of  our 
Indians  is  a  subject  of  serious  fears.  So  far,  I  have 
quieted  them,  but  it  has  been  at  considerable  expense. 
Had  it  not  been  for  the  distribution  among  them  of 
some  merchandise,  procured  from  small  vessels  which 


an 


mm 


'} 


w 


84 


ATTAt;K   OS    FORT   I>I/UI/ESM;. 


hud  ( iiulod  the  vigilance  of  our  oncmitiM,  soiuc;  revo- 
lution liit.il  to  us  would  lijive  wprung  up  unionjr  the 
Indiaixs." 

Threo  eritical  years  had  elap^ied,  dnrin^  wliicli 
Louii-iiana  s.'>eiu^  to  have  been  aevered  Iroui  nil  eoiiunu- 
nicatiou  with  Fniiice,  when,  in  An<ru.sl,  I7r)8,  a  n(!W 
Jntendiint  Connnissary,  L)e  liocheniore,  arrived  froiu 
the  parent  country,  with  8onie  of  tt:c  supplies  which 
had  been  so  lon<r  prayed  for.  Never  had  helj)  been 
more  opportune;  for  the  Choctaws,  intpatit^nt  at  not 
reei^'viuir  Uieir  customary  presents,  had  be<ruii  acts  of 
hostility  !i«fainst  the  French.  According,'  to  a  state- 
ment niad(!  by  Kerlerec,  the  CMioctaws  could  then  brinjr 
into  th(!  held  lour  thousand  warriors,  and  tlu;  Aliba- 
mons  three  thousand.  "  Thesi;  two  nations,"  naid 
Kerlerec,  "  are  the  buhvarks  of  (he  colony,  and  they 
nuisl  be  conciliated,  cost  what  it  may." 

Kerlerec  also  infonned  his  <rovernment  that  his  plan, 
for  two  year.-,  had  been  to  unite  id!  the  Indians  of  the 
South  and  West  into  a  <i^reiit  confed(>racy,  to  march  at 
their  head  against  the  English  sett'<>ments,  and  thus  to 
operate  a  diversion  in  favor  of  f)e  Vaudreiul,  who  wa.«f 
struggling  at  the  North  in  tin-  defence  of  Canada,  but 
that  lie  had  in  vain,  waited  two  yeara  for  the  nc^ces- 
sary  means  to  carry  his  j)lan  into  (\\(-cution. 

On  the  '20th  of  Decend)er,  Kerlerec  apphed  for  the 
Cross  of  St.  r.ouis  in  favor  of  Captain  Aubry,  who 
wa.s  destiiunJ,  at  a  future  ix'riod,  to  bo  (iovcr/ior  of 
Louisiana,  and  who  was  to  play  a  con.'^picuous  part  in 
the  drama  by  whicii  her  destinies  were  closed  i\<  a 
French  colony.  This  officii  had  recently  dislinguisIuMi 
himself  at  Fort  Duquesne,  and  previously,  on  several 
other  occasions.  It  seems  that,  on  the  1  Ith  of  Sej)tem- 
bcr,  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Fort  I)a(|uesne  had 
been    attacked    by   an    Fnglish    detachment    of   nine 


HOCUi;!VIORH. 


85 


hundrrd  men.  Aubry,  wlio  commnndcd  tlio  T^oiiisinna 
trof»j)s,  sjillicd  out;  at  tlioir  lioad  lo  uwvi  thv  enemy. 
Nolvvillislaiidintr  llinM-  nnirdcrons  discliar*f('S  of  artil- 
lery and  musl<(Mry,  lie  fell  upon  the  Knglisli  troops  with 
t'wvd  bayonets,  and  crushed  them  entirely.  The 
I'Jijrhsh  left  ui)ou  \hv  battle  groind  three  hnndn'd 
men,  dead  or  n  ortally  wounded ;  many  '.vcrc  drowned, 
aFid  two  hundred  made  prisoners.  Such  is  the  l<n^nch 
report. 

The  year  17.")!)  was  marked  in  T.ouisiana  by  one  of 
those  paper  money  opiM'ations,  from  which  she  had 
already  sullered  so  many  evils  at  different  times. 
Hardly  iiad  Koehemore  been  installed  in  his  ofiice  as 
Intendant  Conmiissary,  when  Ik;  called  in  one  nnllion 
oiffht  hundred  thousand  livres  of  paper  money  which 
circulated  in  the  colony,  and  converted  it  into  drafts 
on  the  treasury  in  Trance.  He  replaced  the  with- 
drawn ci  rrency  by  another  emission  of  paper  money 
to  the  same  amount,  under  the  sincrular  pretext  of 
makin<r  his  administration  <listinct  from  that  of  his 
predecessor.  h\  so  doin,<r,  Ik^  had  the  hardih  od  to  act 
in  direct  o|)position  to  his  instructions,  and  was  justly 
and  severely  n>primanded  for  it  by  his  government. 

Koehemore  s(>ems  to  have  eared  very  little  for  the 
blame  he  had  incm-red,  and  did  not  hes'itatc^  to  enga<To 
in  bitt«n-  hostility  against  Governor  Kerler(>e,  whom  he 
accused  of  being  guilty  of  an  illegal  and  corrupt  traffic 
with  the  Indians,  secretly  en  ..td  on  under  cover- of 
the  CJovernor's  Secretary,  Titon  de  Sil)eque.  He  also 
complained  of  th(>  extravagant  expenses  in  which  the 
(Governor  indulged,  and  informed  the  ImmmicIi  gov(Ti.- 
ment  that  the  co--  s  of  the  administration  of  the^-olony 
would,  this  year,  ris,;  to  one  million  of  livres. 

It  appears,  however,  that  Rochemore  had  irrerrulari- 
ties  enough  of  his  own  to  be   forgiven,   and  that  he 


i  t 


^1 


t 


...  .^i^KMaa. 


86 


ROniEMORE. 


ought  not  to  have  foU  justified  in  lookino  too  closely 
Jind  too  criti.c;illy  into  tlic  conchict  of  others;  thus,  not 
only    liad    he    assumed    the    power    of    issuing   paj)er 
money,  but  lie  had  also  annulled  certain  concessions  of 
lands,  to  bestow  those   lands  on  members  of  his  own 
liunily.     lie  proceeded  to  dispose,   in  the  most  arbi- 
trary manner,  of  the   King's  merchandise,  to  the  safe 
keeping  of  which  he  had  appointed  his  brother-in-law. 
He  whimsically  a|)pointed  to  the  office  of  Comptroller 
his  friend  and  adviser,  Destrehan,  w  ho  was  Treasurer 
of  the   colony  :   so   tliiit   Destrehan,    the    Comptroller, 
was  c.\j)(xtcd  to  supervise,  direct,  and  control  the  acts 
of  DestrLUan,  the  Treasurer,     lie  went  into  suspicious 
partnerships  with  certain  individuals,  to  whom  lie  had 
granted   the    execution   of  the   public   works,   and   to 
whom  he  had  made  considerable'  and   injudicious  ad- 
vances.    For   these   reasons,  and   on   account   of  his 
hostility  to  Kerlerec,  Uochemore  was  dismissed  I'rom 
ollicc  by  a  ministerial  resolution  of  the  27th  of  August, 
173i),     His  Secretary,  Bellot,  a  sort  of  pettifogger,  was 
arrested ^_  and   sent    to    France;.     In    the    j)ossession   of 
IJellot  wiwi'found   forty  thousand   livres,   which,  con- 
sidering his  small  salary,  could  not  have  been  honestly 
acquired  in  the  course  of  one  year,  elai)sed  since  his 
arrival  in  the  country.     Destrehan  was  ordered  back 
to  France,  as  being  loo  rich  and  dangerous.     All  those 
who  had  supported  Uochemore  in  his  opposition  lo  the 
Governor,  and   tlun  were  numerous,  highly  eonnc^eled 
and  powerfiil,  incurred  displeasure,  i(j)riin;ui(l,  or  dis- 
missal from  office,  at  the  hands  of  the  French  govtirn- 
ment,  and  some  of  them  were  forcibly  embarked  by 
Kerlerec  and  transported  to  Franc<\ 

Therc^  is  but  too  much  evidence  that,  from  the  foun- 
dation of  the  colony,  the  French  government,  the 
j)rincely  merchant  Crozat  and  the  India  Company  had 


INTRODUCTION  OF  THE  SUGAR  CANE. 


87 


by 


been  shamefully  defraiulod.     Tims,  two  of  the  Kincr's 
shij)H,  which  had  been  sent  to  T.ouisimia  with  inercha'n- 
disc,  ]y.i\\uir  arrived  on  the  17th  of  An<rust,    1758,  were 
not  r(!ady  to  depart   before  the  '-id  of  January,    \7'}9, 
and  thoir  expense?^,   during  this   unaccountable  delay, 
amounted    to    19i,0f)f)    livres.      The   Minister   of  the 
Marine    d(^par1ment    made    it   a   jrround   of  energetic 
complaint  against  th(>  administration  of  Louisiana^and 
he,   no  doubt  with  reason,  suspected  that  gross  fraud 
had    been   practised   on   the    King.     The   fact  is  that 
the  fate  of  f.ouisiana,  as  a  French  colony,  was  rapidly 
approaching  a  crisis,  and  that  the  French  gov(>rnment 
had  grown  disgusted  with  a  possession  which  had  been, 
for   more    than    half  a   century,    the    cause    of  heavy 
expenses,   without    giving    even    a    faint    promise   of 
adequate   compensation  in  the  future.     It  is  not,  there- 
fore, astonishing  that  the  King,  for  the  sake  of  economy, 
suppressed  at  once  thirty-six  companies  of  the   T.oui- 
siana  troops,  and  thereby  reduced  to  almost  nothing 
the  forces  of  the  Colony.     The;  colonists,  howx^ver,  were 
striving  to  increase  their  resources  and  to  timelioratc 
their  condition,  by  engaging  with  more  perseverance, 
zeal,  and  skill  in  agricultural  pursuits.     Dubreuil,  one 
of  the  richest  men  of  the  colony,  v,  hose  means  enabled 
him  to  make  experiments,  and  wiir*  owned  that  tract 
of  land  where   now   is   l^splanade  street,  and  part  of 
the  Third  Municipality  of  New  Orleans,  seeing  that 
the   canes,    introduced   by   the   .Jesuits   in    1751,   had 
grown  to  maturity,  and  had  ever  since  been  cultivated 
Avith  success,  as  an  article  of  luxury,  which  was  retailed 
in  the   New   Orleans  market,    built  a  sugar  mill  and 
attempted  to  make  sugar.     Hut  the  attempt  proved  to 
be  a  complete  failure. 

Although  an  order   had  been    issued   in   l<'rance,  on 
the  27th  of  August,  1759,  to  recall  Rochemore,  he  was 


!  9 


i!H1 


:    'w 


■iifiiirmminiingaiat 


88 


RECALL   OF   ROCHEMORE. 


Still  in  office  on  the  2d  of  January,  iTOO,  and,  as  Intcnd- 
ant  Commissary,  lie  took  part  in  a  Court  Martial,  in 
which  it  was  unanimously  resolved  that  it  was  expedi- 
ent to  surround  New  Orleans  with  a  ditch  and  palisade, 
in    conformity   with   a    plan    made    by    the    engineer 
Deverges.     These  fortifications  were  to  be  erected  at 
the  King's  expense,   because   the  inhabitants  of  New 
Orleans  were  too  poor  to  undertake  such  works,  and 
would    be    sufficiently    taxed   with    the    obligation    of 
keeping  them  up.     This  Court  Martial  was  composed 
of  Kerlerec,  as  Governor,  of  Kochemorc,  as  Intendant 
Commissary,  and  of  the  following  officers  :  Deverges, 
DTIerneuvillc,  Grand-Pre,  Grand-Champ,  Maret  de  la 
Tour,  Bellehot,  Favrot,  Poutalba,  Dorville,  and  Tru- 
deau.     On  the  21st  of  December  of  the  same  year, 
1760,  the  projected  fortifications  Avere  completed,  but 
Kerlerec  wrote  to  his  government  that,  to  render  them 
efficient,  he  wanted  artillery,  men,  and  ammunition. 

The  officers  who  had  sided  with  Rochemore  against 
Kerlerec,  and  whom  Kerlerec  had  forcibly  sent ''back 
to  France,  had  been  so  clamorous  against  tlie  Governor 
and  had  advocated  the  cause  of  Rochemore  with  sucli 
zeal,  that  they  had  succeeded  in  suspending  the  execu- 
tion of  the  ministerial  order  dismissing  the  Connnissary 
from  office.  Among  these  oflicers,  the  most  active  and 
influential  were  G  rondel  and  Marigny  de  Mandeville, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  Kerlerec  perceived  that 
they  were  no  contemptible  enemies. 

But,  in  1701,  new  complaints,  which  were  coun- 
tenanced by  the  Superior  Council,  having  been  made 
against  Rochemore,  he  was  definitively  recalled,  and 
Foucault,  his  successor,  arrived  in  June  of  the  same 
year.  Describing  the  state  of  the  colony  in  a  despatch 
addressed  to  his  government,  Foucault  said  :  '•  I  have 
found  tile  King's  warehouses  entirely  empty,  nierchan- 


i 


If 


HELP   SOLICITED   FROM    SPAIN. 


89 


disc  soiling  at  enormous  prices,  the  papers  and  registers 
of  the  administration  scattered  about  and  intrusted  to 
clerks,  some  of  whom  are  no  longer  in  the  employment 
of  the  colony.  There  is  atloiit  more  than  sevim  millions 
of  paj)er  money.  Drafts  on  the  treasury  in  France  arc 
discounted  at  100  and  500  per  cent."  * 

Hence  it  is  difficult  to  imagine  a  more  painful  and 
precarious  situation  than  that  in  which  the  colony 
found  itself  at  the  time.  A  few  words,  extracted  from 
a  desj)atch  written  by  Kcrlerec,  on  the  12th  of  July, 
will  complete  the  picture  :  "  The  Choctaws  and  the 
Alibamons,"  said  he,  "harass  us  daily,  to  have  supp-^os 
and  merchandise.  They  threaten  to  go  over  to  the 
English,  if  we  cannot  relieve  them,  and,  in  the  mean 
time,  by  their  frequent  visits,  they  devour  the  little 
that  remains  of  our  provisions  and  exhaust  our  meaf^re 
stock  of  merchandise.  We  have  just  ground  to  fear 
and  to  expect  hostilities  from  them.  Therefore  our 
situation  is  not  tenable,  and  the  whole  popr.kition  is  in 
a  state  of  keen  anxiety." 

Whilst  Kcrlerec  was  drawing  up  such  a  delineation 
of  Louisinna,  the  Ambassador  of  France  at  the  Court 
of  Madrid  presented  to  that  government,  on  the  31st 
of  October,  1761,  a  memorial  in  which  he  made  the 
humiliating  confession,  that  France  was  unable  to  pro- 
tect Louisiana  any  longer,  and  solicited  the  help  and 
co-operation  of  Spain,  to  supply  the  necessary  wants 
of  that  colony,  and  to  prevent  her  from  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  English.  The  principal  argument 
used  to  awaken  the  sympathy  of  Spain  and  to  elicit 
favorable  action  on  her  part,  was,  that  Louisiana  was 
then  the  only  bulwark  between  the  Enohsh  and  her 


if; 


et'.l 


*Tlii.s  iiiwuis  tiiat  fourortivolivivsofthe  paper  currency,  or  of  drafts  on 
the  Treasury,  were  given  for  one  livre  in  specie. 


mm 


90 


HELP    SOLICITED    IROM    SPAIX. 


M  i    M 


own  colonies.  "  T/iis  cirrumsfanrr  alone,"'  said  the 
French  umhassador,  "  would  he  deserving  of  the  atten- 
tion of  Spain,  if  his  Catholic  ]\[ajcsty  was  not  disposed 
as  lie  IS,  to  afford  to  France  all  ti.e  assisti.nc(>  in  his 
power."  The  Anihassador  concluded  his  memorial 
with  the  declaration,  that  France  would  reimhnrsc 
Spain,  with  the  greatest  puncfnalily,  for  all  the  pecu- 
niary advances  which  sh(>  would  make,  and  for  all  the 
sui)plies  and  ammunition  wiili  which  she  would  furnish 
Louisiana. 

Kerlerec  was  made  acquainted  with  this  application 
to  the  Spanish  government,  and  sent  couriers  in  every 
direction  to  inform  the  Indians  Ihiit,  as  the  Spaniards 
were  going  to  join  the  French  in  the  protection  of 
Louisiam,  \w  would  soon  he  in  a  situation  to  supply 
all  their  wants,  and  to  trade  with  tlicni  on  the  largest 
scale.  lie  therefore  counselled  the  Indians  to  sliow, 
on  all  occasions,  their  friendship  and  gratitude  to  the 
Spaniards.  With  a  view  to  strengthen  his  administra- 
tion and  to  prevent  opposition  to  his  measures,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  make  some  considerable  changes  among  the 
officers  in  command.  Thus,  he  ga/e  the  command  of 
New  Orleans  to  De  la  Iloussaye,  in  the  plac(>  of  Belle- 
isle,  a  friend  of  Rochemore,  and  put  De  Crand-Pre  in 
command  of  Mobile,  removing  the  incumbent  on  account 
of  some  partiality  shown  to  Rochemore. 

But  Kerlerec  was  doomed  to  see  all  his  hopes 
blasted,  and  to  break  all  his  [jromises.  Spain,  with 
her  customary  prudence,  was  j)oiidering  or  dozing  on 
the  application  made  by  the  French  governmentrand 
had  not  allowed  herself  to  be  betrayed  into  any 
departure  from  h:>r  usually  slow  mode  of  acting.  She 
h->d  remained  passive  so  far,  and  had  l(«ft  Louisiana  to 
her  fate,  and  to  the  ineffectual  protection  of  France. 
In  17G2,  liowcver,  some  ships  arrived  at  New  Orleans 


f 


if 


DlCrAKTUUE   OF    ROCIIEMORE. 


91 


oin  the  parent  loiinlrv  hut  contributed  very  little 
\  tlii"  rrliof  of  the  colony.  Alliulincr  to  these  ships, 
kv  rlerec  wrote  on  <  '» *  >r  June  :  "  They  have 
brou<jht  none   of  the  s   wc  wanted   most,   and 

iyardly  any  of  the  thiiio,s  ,,,(  ntioned  in  the  invoices. 
Wliat  (hey  )'  ve  brought  is  .ithcr  not  to  the  taste  of 
the  IiK'ians,  is  of  so  inferior  or  bad  a  (|uality,  that 
it  is  without  value.  J  am,  therefore,  under  the  shame- 
fid  and  humiliating  necessity  of  not  keeping  my 
plighted  faith  to  the  savages.  What  shall  I  do  with 
those  Indian  tribes  1  had  convened,  under  the  expec- 
tation of  th(!  su|)plies  w'  i  I  was  led  to  believe  would 
soon  be  at  hand?  What  will  be  their  f(  <  'ings  /  How 
shidi  1  keep  them  quiet.''  lam  in  a 'Vio|,tful  position. 
Is  the  province  of  Louisiana  destined  to  be  the  sport  of 
cupidity  and  avarice  ? " 

Rochemore,  who  had  remained  in  the  colony  since 
his  removal  I'rom  ofHce  in  I7(J1,  left,  this  year,  in  July, 
for  France.  In  a  des[)atch  to  his  government,  Kerlerec 
said  :  "  Rochemore  has  departed  in  the  Medea,  with  a 
pocket-book  full  of  bills  of  credit,  which  are  drawn  in 
favor  of  another  name  than  his,  but  which  will  secure 
to  him  a  brilliant  fortune  in  France.  The  object  of 
this  substitution  of  name  is  to  prevent  the  government 
from  knowing  the  truth."  This  despatch  contained 
bitter  complaints  against  certain  ofRc(>rs  of  the  colony, 
such  as  Belleisle,  Cirondel,  Grand-Chami),  D'llauterive' 
Marigny  de  Mandeville,  Rocheblave,  Broutin,  &c. 
Kerlerec  transmitted  also  to  his  government  a  certifi- 
cate as  to  the  mal-adininistration  and  evil  doings  of 
Rochemore,  which  was  signed  by  sixty  of  the  mos?  res- 
pectable cili/XMis  and  by  the  members  of  the  Superior 
Council. 

Foiicault,  who  had  succeeded  Rochemore,  was  the 
very   personification    of  treachery,      lie  managed    to 


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92 


CESSIOlSr  OF   LOUISIANA    TO    SPAIN. 


keep  on  good  terms  with  the  Governor,  and  this 
tiinctionary,  in  his  despatches,  bestowed  the  highest 
commendation  on  the  new  Commissary.  But,  whilst 
Kerlerec  was  acting  so  kindly  towards  Foucault,  this 
individual  was  far  from  returning  the  favor,  and,  on 
the  contrary,  secretly  accused  Kerlerec  of  every  sort 
of  malfeasances,  of  a  wasteful  expenditure  of  the  public 
monies,  and  of  their  appropriation  to  his  own  uses 
and  purposes. 

Thus  matters  stood,  when,  on  the  3d  of  November, 
1762,  the  Marquis  of  Grimaldi,  the  Ambassador  of  Spain 
at  the  Court  of  Versailles,  and  tlie  Duke  of  Choiseul 
the  premier  in  the  French  ministry,  signed  at  Fontaine- 
blcau,  an  act  by  which  the  French  king  ccdtd  to  Ms 
cousin   of  Spai?i,  and  to   his  successors,  for  ever,  in  full 
oionership  and  without  any  exception  or  'reservation  what- 
ever, Jrom  the  pure  impulse  of  his  generous  heart,  and 
from  the  sense  of  the    affection  and  friendship   existina- 
between  these  two  royal  persons,  all  the  country  known 
■under  the  name  of  Loidsiana.      This  apparent  act  of 
generosity  had  been  so  spontaneous  and  unforeseen  on 
the  part  of  the  French  king,  that  the  Spanish  minister 
had  no  instructions  on  the  subject,  and  accepted  the 
giit  conditionally,  that  is,  snh  spe  rati,  subject  to  the 
ratification  of  his  Catholic  Majesty. 

On  the  i;3th  of  the  same  month,  the  King  of  Spain 
declared  that,  in  order  the  better  to  cement  the  union 
which  existed,  between  the  two  nations  as  between  the 
two  kings,  he  accepted  the  donation  tendered  to  him  by 
the  generosity  of  his  Most  Christian  Majesty. 

These  acts  of  donation  and  acceptance  were  kept 
secret,  and  the  King  of  France  continued  to  act  as 
sovereign  of  Louisiana.     Thus,  on  the  1st  of  .Januarv, 
175.J,  he  appointed  Nicholas  Chauvin  de  la  Freniere 
Attorney  General,  and,  on   ihe  JOtb  of  I'ebruary,  \w 


"4Uii 


'm 


TREATY   OF    PEACE    SIGNED   AT   PARIS. 


93 


appointed,  as  Comptroller,  Foucault,  who  already  held 
the  office  of  Intendant  Commissary, 

On  the  same  day,  a  treaty  of  peace  was  signed  at 
Paris,  between  the  kings  of  Spain  and  of  France  on 
the  one  side,  and  the  K^ng  of  Great  Britain  on  the 
other,  with  the  consent  and  acquiescence  of  the  King 
of  Portugal.     The  Art.  7  said  : 

"  In  order  to  re-establish  peace  on  solid  and  durable 
foundations,  and  to  remove  for  ever  all  causes  of  dis- 
pute in  relation  to  the  limits  between  the  French  and 
British  territories  on  the  continent  of  America,  it  is 
agreed  that,   for   the   future,   the    limits    between   the 
possessions  of  his  Most  Christian  Majesty  and  those  of 
his  Britannic  Majesty  in  that  part  of  the  world,  shall 
be  irrevocably  fixed  by  a  line  drawn  along  the  middle 
of  the  River  Mississippi,  from  its  source  to  the  River 
Iberville,  and  from  thence  by  a  line  in  the  middle  of 
that  stream  and  of  the  Lakes  Maurepas  and  Pontchar- 
train  to  the  sea ;  and  to  that  effect,  the  Most  Christian 
King  cedes,  in  full  property  and    with   full  guaranty, 
to  his  Britannic  Majesty,  the  river  and  the  port  of 
Mobile,  and  all  that  he  possesses,  or  has  a  right  to 
possess,  on  the  left  side  of  the  Mississippi,  with  the 
exception  of  the  town  of  New  Orleans  and  the  island 
on  which   it   stands,  and  which  shall  be   retained  by 
France,  with  the  understanding  that  the  navigation  of 
tile  Mississippi  shall  be  free  and  open  to  the  subjects 
of  his  Britannic  Majesty  as  well  as  those  of  his  Most 
Christian  Majesty,  in  all  its  length  from  its  source  to 
the   sea,   and    particularly   that    part   of  it   which   is 
between  said  Island  and  New  Orleans  and  the  right 
bank  of  the  River,  including  egress  and  ingress  at  its 
mouth.     It  is  further  stipulated  that  the  ships  of  both 
nations  shall  not  be  stopped  on  the  river,  visited,  or 
subjected  to  any  duty." 


.,-!' 


mm 


!    1 


W    I 


94 


TREATY   or    PEACE    SIGNED    AT   PARIS. 


By  this  treaty,  the  King  of  France  renounced  his 
pretensions  tc^  Nova  Scotia  or  Acadia,  and  guarantied 
the  whole  of  It  with  its  dependencies  to  Great  Britain, 
ceding  also  Canada  with  its  dependencies,  and  what- 
ever r  mained  of  ],is  ancient  possessions  in  that  portion 
ot  JNorth  America. 

The  King  of  Spain  ceded  also  to  Great  Britain  the 
province  of  Florida,  with  the  fort  of  St.  Augustine  and 
the  Bay  of  Pensacola,  as  well  as  aJl  the  countrv  he 
possessed,  on  the  continent  of  North  America,  to  the 
east  and  south-cast  of  the  River  Mississippi. 

It  will  be  observed  that,  by  this  treaty,  the  Kin-r  of 
France  transferred  to  Great  Britain,  in  1763,  pari  of 
what  he  had  already  given  to  Spain  in  November, 
1762.  But,  probably,  Spain  had  very  little  objection 
to  resign  a  portion  of  an  acquisition  which  had  been 
torced  upon  her,  and  to  which  she  did  not  at  the  time 
attach  much  value. 

Thus  France,  with  one   stroke  of  the  pen,   found 
herself  stripped  of  those  boundless  possessions  which 
she  had  acquired  at  the  cost  of  so  much  heroic  blood 
and  so  much   treasure,  and  which    extended    in   one 
proud,  uninterrupted  line,  from   the  mouth  of  the  St 
Lawrence  to  that  of  the  Mississippi.     The  adventurous' 
and  much-enduring  population  which  had  settled  there 
arid  had  overcome  so  many  perils  under  the  fla^   of 
trance,  and  for  her  benefit,  was  coldly  delivered  over 
to    the    yoke    of    foreign   masters.      Tradition   points 
to  the  spot,  called  -El  ultimo  suspire  del  Mora-  -  the 
last  sigh  of  the  Moor,"  where  the  Infidel  kin.   driven 
away  from  his  fair  city  of  Granada,  looked  "back  on 
her  white  towers  glittering  in  the  distance,  and  wept 
like  a  woman  for  the  loss  of  that  which  he  had  not 
defended   like  a  man.     But  he  of  France,    the  most 
Christian  majesty,  did  he  sigh  at  the  immensity  of  his 


INDIGNATION   OF    TJIE    INDIANS.  95 

loss,  ho  wl.o  never  Imd  either  the  tenderness  of  a 
woman  s  heart,  the  pride  of  a  king,  or  the  courage  of 
a  man  !  "^ 

The  Engh.h   e„!Ied  West    Florida  that  portion  of 
te rntory     hey    had    acquired    fron.    Spain.      George 
Johnston,  havmg  been  appointed   Governor    of  West 
Hor,da    soon  arrived  at  Pensacola,   in   company  with 
Major  Loftus  who  was  to  take  connnand  of  the  ilhnoi 
district,  and  they  both  lost  no  time  in  sendin.^  detach' 
ments  to   take   possession  of  forts  Conde,  Toulouse 
«aon  1  onge,  and  Natchez.      Thus,  the  British  S 
had  at  last  put  h.s  paw  on  a  considerable  portion  of 
Louisiana,  w.th  no  doubt  a  strong  desire  and  with  a 
lair  prospect  of  grasping  the  rest  at  no  distant  time 
On  the    16th  of  March,  the  King  of  Fr,  n^    X 
St.!   acted  as  Sovereign  of  that  part  of  Louisiana  'which 
he  had  not  ceded  to  Great  Britain,  but  which  he  1  ad 
given    away  to    Spain,    announced,    through  a   Roval 
ordinance,    that    he    had    d.  tennined    to    disband    t^e 
roops  serving  in  Louisiana,  where  his  intention  was  to 
keep  only  a   lactory,  with  four  companies  of  infantry 
for  Its  protection  and  pohce.     D'Abbadie  was  appoint  d 
Director  of  the  tactory,  witli  the  powers  of  a  ^1^ 
commander.  "^maiy 

The  Indians  wero  „,„c!,  inconsod,  when  they  hoard 
of  the  t,-ea  y  „l  ce,,s,o„.     They  said  that  the  Kin.  of 
I-raneelmd   no   nght   t„    Iransll-r   them    over  to  "am 
wh„e  or  red  chief  ,n  the  „„rl.l,  and  dispose  otl2 

d;o  cattle,  and  they  threatened  resistance  to  the  ewcT 
tion  of  the  treaty.  Several  of  ,he  small  nations, Ihat 
were  much  attac  e,l  to  the  l^rench,  when  they  ™ 
the  Irencl,  Hag  pulled  ,low„,  al.a.uloned  their  lands  attd 
came  dovvn  to  New  Orleans.     The   (Governor    ™is  d 

he,r  fido  ,ty  and  granted  the,„  lands  on  the  We.t 
bank  ol  the  Mississippi. 


K-i; 


lit 


I  i; 
i  I  ' 

!       1 

:  (! 


96 


DISSENSIONS   IN    THE   COLONY. 


On   the  2(1  of  May,  Govornor    Kerlcrcc   wrote   to 
Ins  crovcrnmcnt,  that  it  was  expedient    to    make    the 
customary  presents  to  the  Indians,  notwittistandina  the 
state  of  penury  ui  which  the  treasury  tlien  was— l^t 
Because  the  government  was  pledged  to  it  accordinor' 
to   Its   promises,   in    return    for  which    promises,  real 
services  had  been  performed.     2d.  Because  this  honest 
and  loyal  dealing  would  secure  for  ever  the  attachment 
ot  tlie   Indians,  which  would    be   handed    down    from 
generation  to  generation,  and  which  might  be  of  crreat 
help  to  the  French,  in  case,  on  a  favorable  occa^'sion, 
l-ranco  should  ever  attempt  to  recover   by  force  that 
of  which  she  had  been  deprived  by  force.     He  added 
that  the  Cherokees,  the  Choctaws,  and  the  Alibamons 
when  united,  might  set  afoot  more  than  twelve  thou- 
sand warriors,  and,  therefore,  that  they  would  be  no 
despicable  auxiliaries  in  case  of  need. 

On  the  29th  of  June,  17C3,  D'Abbadic  landed  at 
JNew  Orleans,  and  Kerlerec  soon  after  departed  for 
France,  where,  on  his  arrival,  he  was  thrown  into  the 
Bastile.  He  had  been  Governor  of  Louisiana  about 
ten  years  and  five  months.  He  was  accused  of  several 
violations  of  duty  and  assumptions  of  power,  and  he 
was  reproached,  in  particular,  with  having  spent  ten 
millions  in  four  years,  during  the  administration  o^  thr 
Intendant  Commissary,  Rochemore,  under  the  pretent^ 
of  preparing  for  war. 

When  Kerlerec  and  Rochemore  accused  each  other 
with  such  virulence,  the  colony  became  divided  into 
two  camps,  and  the  French  government  hesitated 
between  the  conflicting  testimony  adduced  by  the  con- 
tending parties ;  but  it  is  a  matter  of  little  importance 
to  posterity,  to  know  which  of  the  two  was  right,  or 
whether  both  had  not  acted  with  impropriety.''  It  is 
enough  to  be  informed  that  their  dissensions,  like  those 


DESCRIPTION  OF  LOUISIANA,  BY  IlKDON  DE  RASSAC.    97 

of  thoir  predecessors,  proved  injurious  to  the  colony ; 
and  when  each  of  them,  being  weighed  in  his  turn, 
was  found  wanting  in  the  scales,  and  alternately  kicked 
the  beam,  it  is  probable  that  both  of  them  deserved 
the  treatment  which  they  received  at  the  hands  of  their 
government. 

In  the  archives  of  the  Department  of  Marine  in 
France  is  to  be  found  a  memorial,  written  on  the  15th 
of  August,  1763,  on  the  situation  of  Louisiana,  by  one 
Redon  de  Rassac,  who  seems  to  have  occupied  an  offi- 
cial position  in  the  colony.  Among  the  causes  which 
he  gives,  as  having  operated  as  obstacles  to  the  pros- 
perity of  Louisiana,  are  the  three  following,  described 
in  his  own  style  : — 

"  1.  Says  he,  under  Mr.  De  Vaudreuil,  half  of  the 
married  women  sent  to  Louisiana  had  no  children,  and 
were  between  fifty  and  sixty. 

"  2.  A  good  many  families  were  located  below  the 
EngHsh  Turn,  on  marshy  and  unwholesome  ground, 
requiring  incessant  labor  to  make  and  keep  up  embank- 
ments. To  this  must  be  added  the  deleterious  influ- 
ence of  poverty,  and  of  every  variety  of  misery,  the 
abjection  of  the  men  and  the  prostitution  of  the  women. 
"  3.  The  officers,  addicted  to  trading,  and  convertin^r 
their  soldiers  into  slaves;  a  shameful  system  of  plun^ 
der,  authorized  by  the  governors,  provided  they  had 
their  share  of  it ;  the  dissolute  morals  of  the  military  ; 
drunkenness,  brawls,  and  duels,  by  which  half  of  the 
population  was  destroyed." 

What  a  frightful  synopsis  in  these  few  words  ! 
What  a  picture,  if  it  be  a  representation  of  truth  ! 

On  the  20th  of  October,  Robert  Farmer  took  pos- 
session of  Mobile,  in  the  name  of  his  Britannic  majesty, 
and  Tombecbec  was  delivered  up  to  Thomas  Ford,  on 
the  23th  of  November.     Hardly  had  the  English  set 


■Is 

k 


■fi' 


>      Ml 

ir  f 
'■'  ji.i 


■I 


1 


98      DISPUTES  BETWEEN  T„E  iRENCII  AND  ENGLIS,,. 

loot  on  their  newly-acquired  territory,  when  the  French 
perceived  that  they  had  to  ,leal  with  ne.ghhors  o"  a 
very  exacting  disposition.  Thus,  on  the  5th  of  Doc, 
Col  ncl  Kobertson  wrote  to  D-Abbadic,  to  claim  the 
u-  dlory  w  ,ch  had  been  withdrawn  fron,  Mobile,  becau  e 

irecity  ot  cession. 
On  the  7th  of  the  same  month,  D'Abbadio  answered 

words  .     The  most  Christian  King  cedes  to  his  Britan- 
nic majesty  the  river  and  the  port  of  Mobile,  and  all 

We  of  "^rT'  ""J"^-  "■  '«'"  '"  P°^^<'^'  on  "'«  l«ft 
New  Orl  T  ^"'"'W''  "«'  the  exception  of 

could  apply  outy  to  the  soil  and  to  the  structures  stand- 
■ng  thereon.  He  said,  however,  that,  as  a  favor,  he 
would  not  remove  the  guns  from  Fort  Tombecbeo  and 
om  the  for,  at  the  Alibamons,  on  account  of  the  diffi- 
culty which  the  English  might  experience  in  supplying 
t  eir,, lace ,  and  also  that  he  would  leave  a  few  gunral 

1  sloidriV"  "T  "'"  Englisl.  wanted  them,  but  that 
It  should  be  under  a  strict  inventory,  and  with  the 
promise  on  their  part  to  give  them  back    if  he  wa   sit 

coTs^ru  ^  "  nr''  """  •="Sli«b  government  „  I 
construction  of  the  treaty. 

Thus  the  French  governor  was  acting  with  a  cour- 
tesy which  does  not  seem  to  have  been  acknowledged 
by  the  English,  who  made  for  it  but  a  sorry  return. 
^_  They  never  fail  on  every  occasion,"  wrote  D'Abbadie, 
(ice,  n^7  ""."'"'  """">'<'™'>le  objections  and  arti- 
For  ;„!.  '''""'  "'"'  "'°"-  g'-»""dle««  chicanery, 
we  a  e  bo  ;  f™"®  """"•  """S^'  "'«y  ™"i"tain  tliit 
tre"^ia^"f  '"  P""^'='  """"  "g'''-' '"«  in-rsions  of 


OPPOSITION  OF  THE  INDIANS  TO  THE  ENGLISH.        99 

In  the  Illinois  district,  the  Indians  showed  a  dispo- 
sition to  resist  the  EngHsh,  and  to  prevent  them  from 
taking  possession  of  the  country.     Nyon  dc  Vilhers 
who  was   the   commander  of  that  district,  wrote   to 
HAbhadie  that  it  was  the  fault  of  the  English  if  the 
Indian  nations  manifested  such  enmity  to  them.     «  The 
English,"  said  he,  "  as  soon  as  they  became  aware  of 
the  advantages  secured  to  them  by  the  treaty  of  ces- 
sion, kept    no    measure  with  the  Indians,  whom  thev 
treated  with    the    harshness   and    the    haughtiness    of 
masters,  and  whose  faults  they  punished  by  crucifixion, 
hangmg,    and  every  sort  of  torments.      They  wish  to 
wipe  away  from    the    minds  of  the    Indians    the  very 
recollection    of   the    French    name;     and,    in     thei'r 
harangues  to  these  people,  in  order  to  induce  them  to 
forego  their  old  attachment  for  us,  they  use,  in  refer- 
ence to  our  nation,  expressions  which  are  very  far  from 
being  respectful,    not  to  say  gross  and  rude.      I  will 
however,  endeavor    to    dispose    the    Indians  favorably 
towards  the  English,  although  their  hostility  to  them 
IS  very  great,  and    although    they  refuse    to    listen  to 
words  of  peace  on   this   subject.     I   doubt,  therefore, 
whether  the  English  will  be  able,    for  some  time,    to 
take  possession  of  this  district." 

An  amiable   man    this    Nyon    de  Villiers  was,  who 
carried    Christian    humility  and    charity  so    far  as   to 
attempt  to  dispose  the  Indians  favorably  towards  the 
bnghsh    by  whom    they  were  crucijied    and    huns,  to 
pumshthem,  no  doubt,  for  the  fault,  among  others,  of 
regretting    the    French!      It    is,    indeed,   curious    to 
observe    such    anxiety  in  a  Frenchman    to   serve   the 
English,    who,    not    satisfied    with    having    stript    the 
French  of  almost  all  their  magnificent  American  pos- 
sessions,   used,    in  speaking  of  their  vanquished   foes, 
gross    and    disrespectful   expressions!!      The    conduct 


!| 


,    1 
I 
■  I 

/■I 

•      . 

J 
;     ; 
:    I 

il    :     .' 

V   i  I 

i\  i  i; 


II  I  * 


100      EXPULSION  OF  THE  JESUITS  FROM  LOUISIANA. 

Of  VillicrB  was  the  more  remarkable,    from   the   fact 
that  thus  gentleman  was  a  chivalrons  officer,  who  had 
highly    distinguished    himself   in    battle     against    the 
English,  and  who  had  had  the  honor  to  force  Wash- 
ington  to  capitulate,  at  Fort  Necessity,  on  the  4th  of 
nf  vir         u^'^"  '*  ''  considered  that,  in  the  opinion 
of  Vilhers,  his  brother  Junionville  had  been  basely  as- 
sassinated by  the  English,  it  must  be  admitted  that  his 
etter,  as  recorded  here,  is  a  monument  of  liis  modera- 
tion and  magnanimity,  and  is  one  of  the  proofs  of  the 
more  than  good  faith  with  which  the  treaty  of  cession 
was    executed   by   the   French    officers,   and  another 
demonstration    that    the    complaints    of   the    English 
about   the   obstacles   thrown   in   their   way   by    those 
officers,  were   not  well    founded.    The   circumstances 
accompanymg  the  death  of  Jumonville  de  Villiers  had 
produced  in  France,  at  the  time,  a  considerable  degree 
of  excitement,  and  became  the  subject  of  a  short  epic 
poem  by  the  well-known  French  author,  Thomas 

It  wdl  be  remembered  that  the  Capuchins  had  been 
struggling   against   the   encroachments  of  the  Jesuits 

"".'\^M^-  .^"*'  '"  '™'  ^^'^y  ^^re  rid  of  their' 
redoubtable  adversaries,  in  consequence  of  the  famous 
order  of  expulsion  issued  by  the  French  government 
against  this  celebrated  religious  order.     All  their  pro 

£i«n  nno^''".'''''"^  ™  ''^''^'  ^^"fiscated,  and  sold  for 
^180,000,  a  large  sum  at  that  time.  It  is  well  known 
that  the  Jesuits  of  Spain  and  Naples  shared  the  same 
fate  with  those  of  France,  and  that  they  were  almost 
simultaneously  expelled  from  all  the  domains  apper- 
taming  to  these  three  kingdoms.  It  was  thought  that 
these  men,  who  held,  it  was  said,  every  consideration 
secondary  to  the  prosperity  of  their  association,  and 
whose  attachment  to  it  did  not  yield  to  that  of  Hora- 
tius,  Scaevola,  or  Brutus  for  Rome,  had  become   too 


COMPLAINTS    AGAINST    THE    ENGLISH. 


101 


powerful ;  and  even  kings  had  been  taught  to  fear  tho.r 
doctrnics    which  were   represented  as  dangerous,  and 
their  amb.t.on  which  had  expanded   in   proportion    to 
the  vast  wealth  of  their  order.      When  it  was  subse- 
quently  abohshed  by  the   Pope    himself,  in   1773,  the 
shallow    multitude,  whose    look    does    not    penetrate 
beyond    the    epidermis    of   things,    thought    that    the 
mighty  society  created  by  Loyola  was  really  dissolved, 
l^ut  those  who  were  better  acquainted  with  the   prodi- 
gious organization  of  the  Company  of  Jesus,  and  with 
the  vitality  ,t  derives  from    it,  smiled  at  the  ignorant 
credulity  of  mankind.     Were    they  not  right  ?     Does 
not  the  year  of  our  Lord,   1850,  find  the  Jesuits  in  full 
resurrection    everywhere,    and    is   it   not    likely   that 

7^.77  P''''''''   '"°'^   property  in  Louisiana  than 
in  1704  r 

D'Abbadie,  in  a  letter  of  the  10th  of  January,  1704 
contmued  to  complain  bitterly  of  the  conduct  of  the 
Lnghsh.  "  Immediately,"  said  he,  "  after  the  delivering 
up  of  Mobile  to  Mr.  Farmer,  who  took  possession  of 
It  in  the  name  of  his  Britannic  Majesty,  this  officer 
issued  a  captious  decree,  which  is  calculated  to  pro- 
duce the  greatest  anxiety  in  the  minds  of  the  French 
inhabitants. 

"  1.  He  requires  the  French  inhabitants  to  take  the 
oath  of  allegiance  within  three  months,  if  they  wish 
to  be  protected  in  their  property.  What  right  has  he 
to  impose  any  such  obligation  on  those  inhabitants, 
since  the  treaty  grants  them  a  delay  of  eighteen  months 
to  emigrate,  if  they  choose,  and  since  it  is  stipulated 
that  they  shall  be,  under  no  pretext,  subjected  to  any 
restraint  whatsoever  ? 

":i.  The  French  inhabitants  are  prohibited  from 
disposing  of  any  land  or  real  estate,  until  their  titles 
thereto  are  verified,    registered,  and  approved  by  the 


1 

1  ^M 

: 

i      '  i 

1 

102  MAJOli  LOFTUS  ASCKNDS  THE  MISSISSIPPI. 

coiinuanding  officer.  No  titles  are  accepted  as  good, 
except  those  wliicli  are  founded  on  concessions  in  due 
form,  given  by  tlie  governors  and  the  Inteiidant  Com- 
missary of  New  Orleans,  when,  on  account  of  the  small 
number  of  the  inhabitants,  and  of  the  immense  extent 
of  public  lands,  the  mere  fact  of  taking  possession  and 
the  contmualion  of  it,  on  permission  given  to  select 
a  tract  of  land  and  to  clear  it  of  its  timber,  lias  always 
been  looked  upon  as  a  sufficient  title." 

On  the  7tli  of  April,  Aubry,  who  commanded  the 
lour    companies    left    in   New  Orleans,  wrote   to    the 
French  government :  "  The   English   being   prevented 
from  going  to  the  Illinois  by  the  way  of  Canada,  on 
account  of  the  hostile  attitude  of  the   Indians,   have 
been  driven  lo  attempt  to  ascend  t\w  Mississippi  up  to 
that  territory.     Consequenlly,  a  number  of  officers,  with 
three  hundred  and  twenty  soldiers,  twenty  women,  and 
seventeen  children,  left  New  Orleans  on  the  27tli  of 
February,   under   the   command   of  an   officer   named 
Loftus,  in  ten  boats  and  two  pirogues.     Mr.  D'Abbadie 
had  caused  the  Indians  to  be  harangued  in  favor  of  the 
English,    and    had   ordered   the   French    commanders 
stationed  at  the  several  posts  on  the  bank  of  the  river, 
to  afford  aid  and  protection  to  Loftus  and  his  i)arty,' 
and  had  given  them  Bcaurand  as  interpreter.     He  had 
thus  done  all  that  he   could  to  ensure  the  success  of 
their  eipedition." 

On  the  15th  of  March,  the  convoy  had  arrived, 
without  accident,  at  Pointe  Coupee,  save  the  desertion 
of  eighty  men.  When  the  English  were  at  Pointe 
Coupee,  something  turned  up  which  was  very  near 
briiighig  them  into  collision  with  the  French.  It 
seems  that  an  Indian  slave  had  fled  from  New  Orleans, 
and  taken  refuge  on  board  of  one  of  the  English  boats! 
At  Pointe  Coupee,  this  Indian  uas  recognised  by  c.iie 


I 


-, 


LOFTirS    ATI    IKED    BY    THE    INDIANS. 


103 


of  liis  former  masters,  and  claimed  as  a  slave.  Tho 
demand  was  backed  by  several  persons  who  knew  tho 
man  to  be  a  slave,  and  the  French  commander  frrarited 
the  order  to  arrest  him,  but  gave  courteous  informa- 
tion of  the  fact  to  Loftus,  before  permitting  the  order 
to  be  executed.  Loftus,  however,  disregarding  all  the 
reasonings  assigned  to  justify  the  arrest, ''declared 
haughtily  that  he  would  protect  the  slave  at  all  risks, 
and  order(Hl  his  detachment  to  betake  themselves  to 
their  arms  in  support  of  the  position  he  had  assumed. 
The  French  conmiand(>r,  wishing  to  avoid  a  conflict, 
the  consequences  of  which  might  be  exceedingly 
serious,  had  the  prudence  to  yield,  and  the  slave 
remained  free,  in  spite  of  the  justice  of  the  claim  set 
up  to  him,  in  violation  of  the  right  of  the  master,  and 
much  to  the  annoyance  and  vexation  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Point(>  Coupee  and  of  the  neighboring  Indians,  who 
Avould  have  been  glad  of  an  opportunity  to  give,  by 
hard  blows,  substi^ntial  evidence  of  their  feelings 
towards  the  English. 

At  the  upper  limit  of  the  Parish  of  Pointe  Coupee, 
Beaurand,  the  interpreter,  took  his  departure,  as  it  had 
been  agreed  upon,  but  not  before  having  warned  the 
English  to  b(uvare  of  the  Indians.  The  advice  was 
kindly  meant,  but  the  English  took  it  for  an  ironical 
and  treacherous  show  of  sympathy. 

The  English  had  come  up  to  Davion's  Bluff",  or  Fort 
Adams,  when,  on  the  10th  of  March,  at  ten  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  some  Indians,  who  were  in  ambuscade  on 
both  sides  of  tlif!  river,  fired  at  the  two  pirogues, 
which  were  reconnoitring  ahead  of  the  bulk  of  the 
convoy,  killed  six  men  and  wounded  seven.  The 
pirogues  f(>ll  back  on  the  main  body  of  the  iMiglish, 
who,  Avithout  firing  a  shot,  slunk  back  to  New  Orleans, 
where  they  arrived  on  the  22d.     The  Indians  who  had 


^■T^iH 

I'll 

P 

n 

^  1      ,  ^1 

il    i 

'  ill 

f    1 

i 

i! 

i 

^ 

I 

- 

104 


LOFTUS    RETURNS    TO    NEW   ORLEANS. 


attacked  thorn  did  not  number  more  than  thirty  men 

and  might  easily  liave  been  xopuLsed.     But  Loftus  and 

his  party  were   frightened  by  the  bugbear  of  French 

treachery,  and  were  under  the  impression  that  whole 

Indian    tribes   had  been  instigated  to  lie   i^:    wait   for 

them  on  their  way  to  the  Illinois.     But  no  fears  can  have 

been  more  groundless,  as  demonstrated  by  the  corre^-- 

pondence  of  the  French  officers,  who  acted  not  only 

with  strict  good  faith,  but  also  with  something  like  a 

wonderful   abnegation   of  sensitiveness,   of  pride,  and 

of    long-nourished    prejudice    towards    an    hereditary 

foe.  -' 

"  On  the  ret  .11  of  the  English  commander  to  New 
Orleans,"  says  Aubry,  in  one  of  his  despatches,  "  Mr 
D'Abbadie  expressed  to  him  his  regrets  at  the  unto- 
ward event  which  had  happened,  and  tendered  all  the 
assistance  in  his   power.      But  the  English  officer,  far 
irom  answering  this  act  of  kindness  as  he  should,  and 
lar  from   showing  any  gratitude  for  it,  said  that  Mr 
1)  Abbadie  was  the  cause  of  the  failure  of  the  En^rlish 
expedition,  that  the  Indians  had  attacked  his  par^y  in 
obedience  to  the  orders  of  D'Abbadie,  who  afterwards, 
as  he  alleged,  received  from  the  chief  of  the  Indians 
m  person  an  account  of  what  had  been  done.     There 
never  was  a  blacker  or  more  atrocious  calumny.     Mr 
D'Abbadie   used  his  best  efforts  to   induc(>  the  Indians 
to  remain  quiet,  and  the  English  commander  seeks  in 
vain  to  excuse  himself  for  the  weakness  of  his  nerves, 
and    the    little   determination  and  judgnicut  which  he' 
showed  on  t!iat  occasion." 

Much  to  the  displeasure  of  the  English,  some  of  the 
Indian  tribes  continued  to  emigrate  and  to  settle 
among  the  French.  Two  hundred  Taensas  and  about 
as  many  Ahbamons  were  allowed  to  form  two  villages 
on  Bayou  Lafourche.     In  relation  to  these  emigraliolis, 


CONDITION   OF   LOUISIANA. 


105 


'|l! 


D'Abbadie  said  to  his  government  that  they  were  pro- 
ductive of  a  good  deal  of  expense,  but  that  it  was 
inevitable,  and  that  he  took  care  that  it  should  be  as 
moderate  as  possible.  He  further  observed  that  these 
Indians  could  be  turned  to  useful  purposes,  and  might 
help  in  the  defence  of  the  colony,  which  therefore 
would  receive  the  equivalent  of  the  money  they  cost 
the  government.  But  he  severely  animadverted  on 
other  sources  of  expense. 

"  The  expenses  of  the  several  posts  in  the  colony," 
said  he,  "  are  analogous  to  those  incurred  in  Canada, 
where,  as  here,  everybody  has  some  sort  of  justification 
for  everything.  It  is  a  chaos  of  iniquities,  the  cause 
of  which  must  be  traced  up  to  the  chiefs,  who  ought 
to  have  been  tlie  first  to  check  all  abuses,  and  who 
have  not  done  so.  I  cut  down  every  claim  on  the 
government  to  one  fourth,  &c.,  &c. 

"  With  regard  to  the  possession  of  that  part  of  the 
colony  which  has  remained  ours,  I  shall  always  consider 
it  very  precarious,  until  it  is  made  sure  by  new  arrange- 
ments ;  for,  how  can  I  licep  it  without  troops,  without 
ammunition,  and  without  ships  to  protect  the  naviga- 
tion of  the  Gulf,  and  to  defend  the  mouths  of  the 
Mississippi  ?" 

On  the  7th  of  June,  D'Abbadie  wrote  to  his  govern- 
ment a  very  interesting  letter,  containing  his  views  on 
the  situation  of  the  country  : 

"  I  have  the  honor,"  said  he,  "  to  submit  my  obser- 
vations on  the  character  and  dispositions  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Louisiana.  The  disorder  long  existing  in  the 
colony,  and  particularly  in  its  finances,  proceeds  from 
the  spirit  of  jobbing  which  has  been  prevalent  here  at 
all  times,  and  which  has  engrossed  the  attention  and 
faculties  of  the  colonists.  It  began  in  1737,  not  only 
on  the  currency  of  the  -ountry,  but  also  on  the  bills  of 


'   '8 


I    : 


106 


CONDITION   OF    LOUISIANA. 


exchange,  on  the  merchandise  in  the  Kinrr^s  warp 
houses,  and  on  everything  which  was  susceptfblc  of  it" 
It  ,s  to  this  pursuit  that  the  inhabitants  have  been 
addicted,  m  preference  to  cultivating  their  lands  and 
to  any  other  occupation,  by  which  the  prosper  yj 
the    colony    would    have    been    promoted.  ^  I  havl 

with  tlfe  7'T''''  ^   ^^"-   --ting  in   connexion 
with  the  King's  warehouses,  out  of  which  merchandise 

French   t,.oasury,  has    no  fixed   value,   but  only  that 

so  low  that  It  loses  three  hundred  per  cent.  wl,cn  ex- 
changed  for  bdls  of  erod.t  on  the  treasury  a,  hon,e 
.  If  the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  had  turned  their 
ndustry  to  anything  else  beyond  jobbing  on  7e 
Kings  paper  and  merehandise,  they  would  have  found 
groat  resources  in  the  fertility  of  the  land  and  the 
mildness  of  the  climate.    But  the  faeilit;  oflbred  by 

oat:d™£bi;°  '71  °"    "^  ""'""'  P-d„ctions    h^ 
Tn«l  r  .°^  '"""''"'•    T''"  ™mo'lorate  use  of 

Taffia   a  kind  of  rum),  1ms  stupefied  the  whole  po,,„la 

on.     riie  vice  of  drunkenness   had  even  crept   into    ■ 
the   highes    ranks   of  society,  from  which,  however  U 
has  lately  disappeared.  "ever,  it 

Jo  ^T",  ",'"  'P'"'  °'"  '"^"''"■•''in^tion  and  independ- 
ence winch  has  manifested  itself  under  several  ,ulmi- 
mstrations.     1  will  not  relate  the  excesses  and  outr    es 
whieh    occurred     under     Rochemore     and    Kerlevc 
iivery   one  knows  how  fhr  they  were  carried       Not' 
wit  isl^andmg  the  present  tranquillity,  the  same  spiri 
of  sedition  does  not  the  less  exist  in  the  colony' 
re-appears  ,„  the  thoughtless  expressions  of  some  mad- 


111  I! 


•"B^ii 


CONIHTION   OF    LOUISIANA. 


107 


caps,  and  in  the  anonymous  writings  scattered  among 
the   public.      The   uncertainty  in   which   I   am,    with 
regard   to   the   ultimate  fate  of  the  colony,  has  pre- 
vented   me   from  resorting  to  extreme   measures,   to 
repress  such  license ;  but  it  will  be  necessary  to  come 
to  it  at  last,  to  re-establish  the  good  order  '.vhich  has 
been   destroyed,  and   to    regulate    the    conduct    and 
morals  of  the  inhabitants.     To  reach  this  object,  what 
is  first  to  be  done  is,  to  make  a  thorough  reform  in  the 
composition  of  the  Superior  Council.      I  have  already 
had  the  honor  of  expressing  my  opinion  on  the  mem- 
bers of  the  council,  and  particularly  on  the  Attorney- 
General  Lafrenicrc.     Subjects  chosen  in  France,  to  fill 
Up  the  ofiices  of  CounselJors  and  of  Attorney-General, 
would  assist  me   in  the   intention  I   have,   to  devote 
myself  exclusively    to   promoting    the  welfare  of  this 
colony,  which  has  been  ruined  by  the  effects  of  jobbing, 
that  first  cause  of  all  the  evils  from  which  we  suffer  here. 
Three  fourths,  at  least,  of  the  inhabitants  are  in  a  state 
of  insolvency.      But  everything  will  again   be  set   to 
rights,  and  with  some  advantage,  through  that  severity 
which   is    required,  to   enforce  the  observation  of  the 
laws  and  to  maintain  good  order. 

"As  I  was  finishing  this  letter,  the  merchants  of 
New  Orleans  presented  me  with  a  petition,  a  copy  of 
which  I  have  the  honor  to  forward.  You  will  find  in 
it  those  characteristic  features  of  sedition  and  insubor- 
dination of  which  I  complain.  Its  allegations  are  false 
in  every  respect,  &c.,  dec." 

D'Abbadie  concludes  hi-  letter  with  the  observation, 
that  the  complaints  set  forth  in  this  petition  of  the 
merchants  are  presented  in  a  style  and  manner  which 
deserve  to  be  treated  by  the  minister  with  the  utmost 
sevcritif.  In  the  petition  to  which  DAbbadie  alludes, 
the  merchants    complained  of   the  frightful  condition 


fi  i 


Hi 


■'I 


^  fp 

i 
■p 

,• ;  'i 

If    : 


108 


WIlMdItlAI,    or    KIOUI.IOKiot;. 


It'' 


I 


«>/'nm,-M.„MuM-<»|,M,V,,.(||H.     ,vpn,(,..l     ,M,Hl,,OMr„M.„t 

'*'    •'"'  '"l""«la(.<.M   ,.r  flu.    ,, n.m.n.y,   „„,|  oC  ,|h, 

••on.vss.oM    l,y  whirl,    l>',Vhl..-.,l,<.  nn„,lr<l  (u  „  ,o„„,„.,v 


Hi.'  r.vrl,.,M,v,.    n^rh(   of  (.mlinfr  „rlli  ||„.    (.ulim.H      Tl 

'""•"";':'    V'"''    '''■"'  '"'"''*'    '>'^''l»"<li'>   .-< uh,  wi.'s 

Hio,,r,|  |,v  ,|h>  iMiiiripal  tn.'irlmnis  ,»C  Nru  ()il,.„„s 

>Miils(    IKAI.hmli,.  u„,s   llms  luldiTMsiiiir   f|„.    l,',,.,,,}, 
^'ovnn.m.nl     his  ,MV(|,.r<.SMor,  K^M-lnvc,  who  vvns  hIIII 
*''"7'"<<'  ".'  >!'-   ll<.s.i|<,v..,sH(rivi„^.  I<>  .  ,xri(Mh<.  sym. 
I»"<l'i<s  ol   (hi.l   s„.n.>o„.,.n.nH>n(    ,.,  hJH   fMvor,  nn.l   (o 
P'<'vn,(   hnnsrir  iVo.n  hri„o   \ny^uiWu  in   his   W..n.r,.o,. 
loMrn.mphshlhisohir.l,  |„«    |„m|   |h.|o,v   ih,.  nnrnMlrv 
!!  "•;;"""•'"''  i"  whul,  l...   ,,Mr,n|,lr«|    lo  show  ||„.    „li|„y 
'••••  ''•••""•''  •«»  <-«»nv(M-t  Louisi,,,,,,,  in  nmvwt  will,  Snni., 
;"•'*"'■•*"""••'•'•''••'  <''1»->N  i"  onh-,-  lo  |„n,  ih,,l  r.'lonv 
<«»  Ho,.„.  ,,n,|ii,,h|,.  nrrounl.     Thr    „„„i,M|,.,-,  K,  whoso 
C..ns„h.,-.„o„    ih,s   .lor„„„.,.l    was    s,MMi,,lly    .-dn-rrd, 
♦mkIois.mI  ,1  u,lh  Ihis  i.oir:  ■  .^ 

"r<.nsi,h.,-ii,.  ih..„  ,1,,,,.  ,,,  i„  ihi,  „„,,„,,„,  ,,^,„,. 
<'«'<"'In,  wh.d,  .n.ohi  |M,inl  o„|  loihrCo.MloC  M,,.hi,l 
|>n>Mm.K,.    r.„,s,.s    of  ,oi,(lirl    will,    Ih,.    |.:„,r|ish,    and 

""■vlo,v,v,a|,M-ll,.MM-ssio,.  of  I is.ai.a  I.ss  arn.pla- 

'»!<•    to   N|M..,,  ,1  s,M>„,s    ,,n,,MM-  Ihal    this    „„M„o,-ial   ho 
n«n,sl,so  as   lo  ^n'OiUwv   a  lavcM-ahh,   ii„|„vssior,  ,„>o„ 

H  isrvi<h-n-  IV,„„  ihis  n,n„„slanrr,  aiallVo,,,  n,a.,y 
"n'<''s,  Ihal  mo  h',v,„h;,Mnn-.n„,„|  ronsid.Mv,!  |,,„„si. 
•'"•'-•'■-  .•«  I'unhM,,  .,r  whirl,  ii  was  anMo.islo  disr,,. 
<-'"nlMM-  .isoli:  a.al  (hal  ,,  was  so  i;.a,f,.|  oCih..  Kj,,... 
ol  NK,.„sailrn„u,>,.  willH|,.awi„,o  his  arl  of  aocvnla'^ 
■on,  hal  ,1  look  <-vny  ,„v<-a,.lioM  lo  ,uvvn,l  'his 
^^^  ..fhoh.-    IMaj..siv    In.u,   n-jrclinu  H,,.  .j,-,   ,,.„,,,,,,   ,,^ 

Kis   nol    lo  hrwoiulond   al,  a  fir,-  all,    ihal   I'Vanc*. 
frit   .n<h.u».l  K,  Ihn^r  awu3-  ^onis.ana,  .„  drspai.-  at  Uw 


ANXIKTV    or    Till:    I'ilDNni    JiOVICHNMKNT. 


10!) 


^ 


I 


uaiit  of  HiMTcsM  in  roloiii/inir  (luit  diMfiinl  |H)HH(>HHion. 
Lniiisi.inii  |i!mI  |>n>vr<l  ii  driid  wci^rhi  jn  t||,.  liinxlM  of 
tile  ^Mcnl  iiK-nhiinl,  Cro/iil,  who  Ii!mI  biirird  Hrv<  nil 
inillioiiH  ill  Uvr  wiMniicHs.  Tlir  India  Coiiipjiny  liiid, 
wilh  lli(«  Miiino  n'Hiill,  drvolrd  ovi-r  fwrnly  niillioiiM  lo 
rniry  iiilo  r,\<Miili<)n,  on  llic  IxinkM  of  tlin  ,VIiHMiHHi|>|)i, 
llir  ^rniiid  H«li<>in<'  in  which  hrr  chiiifn-  oriLniiiiNul. 
Wilh  HMrnrd  jo  the  l-'rcnrh  (iovnimuMil,  it  (Iocs  not 
siMMii  un  cxfifrirniilion  to  Hii|i|)o,sr,  that,  it  had  M(|naii- 
drn'd  iVoni  loity  to  lil'ty  inilhoiiH  of  '  rcH  in  ihr* 
attrmpi  to  <-oloni/c  Louisiana.  Thus,  an  c'noriPs.iH 
capital  had  hern  «hshiiiS(Ml,  no  n'tiini  hatl  hron  .na(h) 
lor  it,  and  what  was  still  more  disronrairinjr,  was  the 
(Conviction  hronuht  home  to  I'Vancc,  thai,  if  sIh;  re- 
tained |)ossessioii  of  Louisiana,  she  would  he.  under  the 


iKM-essily  ol  mciirriii"^  still  more  c<tiisideial>le  expenses, 
(or,  at  tln'  very  moni«nt  when  i\w  (Mission  of  that, 
colony  was  made  to  Spain,  D'Ahhadie  was  inrorniinff 
his  ;^r(,vcrimi(Mit,  in  repeated  (hspatclu-s,  that  that 
l^'rench  possession  was  in  a  sldlr  <>/'  cnmjdrlr  dvstlliilion  ; 
that  it  was  n  r/mos  <>/'  Inhjuilirs  ;  and  that  lo  re-estab- 
lish   order    therein,    it,   would     h 


Id  ne  necessary  to  liav(! 
r<'<'ours(!  to  nicdsiirrs  (>/'  (III  i.rlrniw  r/iiinirlii:  H(!nc<! 
the  anxiety  of  the  Fremh  ;^rov(!rnment  to  part  with  a 
territory  which,  at  a  later  period  and  in  abler  hands, 
was  destined  lo  astonish  the  world  by  its  raj)i(l  and 
^i<i;antic  prosperity. 

In  preseiMinjr  his  memorial  on  r.oiiisiana,  tin;  object 
of  (iovj'rnor  Kerlerec  had  been,  no  doubt,  to  sliow 
that,  althoiiuh  |jiborin<j;  under  tin;  dis|)leasiire  of  his 
jj;ov<'rnmeiit,  and  immured  lM!tw<!eii  the  four  walls  of  a 
prison,  he  was  disposed  to  act  as  a  iis«;fiil  servant,  and 
h(^  probably  hoped,  in  this  way,  to  pnx'iini  his  reh^ase. 
Hnt  his  enemies,  or  at  hiast  'iiose  who  thou<rht  they 
had  been  his  victims,  wer<!,  at  tl.  ;  same   tinn;,  and   in  ;i 


1 


i'\ 


1 1 


ill 


110 


ANXIETY    OF   THE    FKENCII    GOVERNMENT. 


manner  not  calculated  to  help  him,  calling  the  atten- 
tion  of  the  government  to  his  acts  whilst  Governor  of 

officei  of  the  maru,e  troops  sent  to  Louisiana,  who  had 
been  arrested   by  Governor   Kerlerec,    and  dismissed 

theD,U  ^7^t' '''''. P'''''""'"^   *''^   P^""«   Minister, 
he  Duke  of  Choiseul,  to  know  the  cause  of  the  ill' 

treatment  inflicted  upon  him,  and  accusing  Kerlerec  of 
abuse  of  power,  and  other  violations  of  duty.  To  this 
petition  Marigny  had  annexed  two  certificates,  one 
fn)m  Bienville  and  the  other  from  Vaudreuil,  in  ^vhich 
the  highest  commendation  was  bestowed  upon  him  by 
these  functionaries,  under  whom  he  had  served.  He 
was  the  son  of  Marigny,  who  had  died  in  command  of 

Ss  ''  ""'  "'''•''''' ''"''  ''^''  '""^^  ""  ^"^S^'t  «f  St. 

On  the  eve  of  losing  his  faithful  subjects  of  Louisi- 
ana,  the  King,  to  reward  some  of  them  for  their  sood 
services,  distributed  a   few   favors   among  them    and 

foot,  who   had   been  wounded   in   the   attack   on    the 
Village  of  Ackia,  m   1736,  and  to  Nyon  de  Villiers 
who  had  long  been  commander  of  the  Illinois  District 
An  individual,  named  Brand,  obtained,  on  the  recom 
mendation  of   D'Abbadie,   the    exclusiVe    privilege  "f 
pnntmg  and  of  selling  books  in  Louisiana.      It^  was 
the   last   monopoly  conceded  by   the  French   govern- 

On  the  2„t  of  April,  17M,  the  King  wrote  to 
D  Abba<  ,0  a  letter  containing  an  official  comraunica- 
t  on  of  the  cession  of  Louisiana  to  Spain.  To  tiL 
document  were  annexed  copies  of  the  act  of  cession 
and  ot  the  act  ol  acceptation.  The  letter  of  the  Kins 
ran  thus :  '^'"S 


LETTER   OF    LOUIS   XV.    TO    d'aBBADIE.  HI 


fi 


"  Louis  XV.  to  Mr.  D'Ahhadie  : 

"  Monsieur  D'Abbadie,  by  a  private  act  passed  at 
Fontainebleau,  on  the  3d  of  November,  1762,  having, 
of  my   own   free   will,   ceded   to   my   very   dear  and 
beloved  cousin,  the  King  of  Spain,  and  to  his  succes- 
sors and  heirs,  in  full  property,  completely,  and  without 
reserve   or   restriction,  all  the  country  known   under 
the  name  of  Louisiana,  and  also  New  Orleans,  with 
the  island  in  which  it  is  situated ;  and  by  another  act, 
passed  at  the  Escurial,  and  signed  by  the  King  of  Spain, 
on   tiic    13th   of  November    of   the    same    year,   his 
Catholic    Majesty    having    accepted    the    cession    of 
Louisiana  and  of  the  town  of  New  Orleans,  as  will 
appear  by  copies   of  said   acts    hereunto   annexed,   I 
write  you  this  letter  to  inform  you,  that  my  intention 
is,  that,  on  the  receipt  of  it,  and  of  the  documents 
thereto  annexed,  whether  they  arc  handed  to  you  by 
officers  of  his  Catholic  Majesty,  or,  in  a  direct  line,  by 
the   French   ships   to  which   they  are    intrusted,  you 
deliver  up  into  the  hands  of  the  Governor,  or  of  the 
officer  appointed  to  that  effect,  the  said  country  and 
colony   of  Louisiana,   with   the   settlements    or  posts 
thereto   appertaining,   together     with    the    town    and 
island  of  New  Orleans,  such  as  they  may  be  found  on 
the  day  of  said  delivery,  it  being  my  will  that,  for  the 
future,  they   belong   to   his   Catholic    Majesty,   to    be 
governed    and    administered    by    his    governors    and 
officers,  as  belonging  to  him,  fully,  and  without  reserve 
and  exception. 

"  I  order  you,  accordingly,  as  soon  as  the  Governor 
and  the  troops  of  that  monarch  shall  have  arrived  in 
said  country  and  colony,  to  put  them  in  possession 
thereof,  and  to  withdraw  all  the  officers,  soldiers,  or 
other  persons  employed  under  my  government,  and  to 


i:. 


•  r '  I  i 


Ihi 


112 


LETTER   OF    LOUIS    XV.    TO    d'aBBABIE. 


send  to  France,  and  to  my  other  colonies  of  America, 
such  of  them  as  will  not  be  disposed  to  remain  under  the 
Spanish  dominion. 

"  I  desire,  moreover,  that,  after  the  entire  evaeuation 
of  the  said  port  and  town  of  New  Orleans,  you  gather 
up  all  the  papers  relative  to  the  finances  and  adminis- 
tration of  the  colony  of  Louisiana,  and  that  you  come 
to  France  to  account  for  them. 

"  My  intention  is,  however,  that  you  deliver  up  to 
•^"•'i  Governor,  or  other  officers  duly  authorized,  all  the 
papers  and  documents  which  concern  specially  the 
government  of  that  colony,  either  with  regard  to  the 
limits  of  that  territory,  or  with  regard  to  the  Indians 
anc'i  the  different  posts,  after  having  obtained  proper 
receipts  for  your  discharge,  and  that  you  give  to  said 
Governor  all  the  information  in  your  power,  to  enable 
him  to  govern  said  colony  to  the  mutual  satisfaction  of 
both  nations. 

"  My  will  is,  that  a  duplicate  inventory  of  all  the 
artillery,  warehouses,  hospitals,  vessels  and  other  effects 
which  belong  to  me  in  said  colony,  be  made  and  signed 
by  you  and  the  Commissary  of  his  Catholic  Majesty,  in 
order  that,  after  your  having  put  said  Commissary  in 
possession  of  the  same,  there  be  drawn  up  a  verbal 
process  of  the  appraisement  of  such  of  said  effects  as 
will  remain  in  the  colony,  and  the  value  of  which  shall 
be  reimbursed  by  his  Catholic  Majesty,  in  conformity 
with  said  appraisement. 

"I  hope  at  the  same  time,  for  the  advantage  and 
tranquillity  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  colony  of  Louisiana, 
and  I  flatter  myself,  in  consequence  of  the  friendship 
and  affection  of  his  Catholic  Majesty,  that  he  will 
be  pleased  so  to  instruct  his  Governor,  or  any  other 
of  his  officers  employed  by  him  in  said  colony  and  said 
town  of  New  Orleans,  that  all  eccle^^iastics  and  religious 


REFLECTIONS   ON   THE    FATE   OF    LOUISIANA.        113 


nhiJ 


communities  shall  continue  to  perform  their  functions 
of  curates  and  missionaries,  and  to  enjoy  the  rights, 
privileges,  and  exemptions  granted  to  them;  that  all 
the  Judges  of  ordinary  jurisdiction,  together  with  the 
Superior  Council,  shall  continue  to  administer  justice 
according  to  the  laws,  forms,  and  usages  of  the  colony  ; 
that  the  titles  of  the  inhabitants  to  their  property  shall 
be  confirmed  in  accordance  with  the  concessions  made 
by  the  Governors  and  ordaining  Commissaries  (Com- 
missaires  Ordonnateurs)  of  said  colony ;  and  that  said 
concessions  shall  be  looked  upon  and  iield  as  confirmed 
by  his  Catholic  Majesty,  although  they  may  not,  as  yet, 
have  been  confirmed  by  me  ;  hoping,  moreover,  that 
his  Catholic  Majesty  will  be  pleased  to  give  to  his  sub- 
jects of  Louisiana  the  marks  of  protection  and  good  will 
which  they  have  received  under  my  domination,  and 
which  would  have  been  made  more  effectual,  if  not 
counteracted  by  the  calamities  of  war.  ' 

"I  order  you  to  have  this  letter  registered  by  the 
Superior  Council  of  New  Orleans,  in  order  that  the 
people  of  the  colony,  of  all  ranks  and  conditions,  be 
informed  of  its  contents,  and  that  they  may  avail  them- 
selves of  it,  should  need  be ;  such  being  my  sole  object 
in  writing  this  letter. 

"  I  pray  God,  Monsieur  D'Abbadie,  to  have  you  in  his 
holy  keeping. 

(Signed)  Louis. 

(Countersigned)  Pfke  de  Choiseul." 


Thus  ended,  in  Louisiana,  the  reign  of  Louis  XV., 
which  was  as  fatal  to  France  itself,  as  to  its  colonial 
possessions  in  America. 

When  D'Abbadie  published  the  instructions  he  had 
received,  the  colony  of  Louisiana  was  plunged  into  the 
deepest  consternation.     So  far,  mere  surmises  had  been 

8 


i  i'  III 


114 


REFLECTIONS   ON    THE    FATE   OF    LOUISIANA. 


afloat  as  to  the  misfortune  which  threatened  the  colo- 
nists;  there  had  been  alternate  fits  of  fear  and  hope 
but  hope   as  is  generally  the  case,  had  predominated ;' 
when   suddenly,  truth  came  in  a  shape  not  to  be  ques- 
tioned,  and  sad  reality  put  to  flight  all  the  fond  delu- 
sions of  the  heart.     Although  partially  prepared  for  the 
present  evil  by  the  dismemberment  of  Louisiana,  which 
had  been  effected  so  recently  in  favor  of  the  English, 
the  fortitude  of  the  colonists  had  not  been  steeled  to 
meet  this  new  blow.     As  Frenchmen,  they  felt  that  a 
deep  wound  had  been  inflicted  on  their  pride  by  the 
severing  m  twain  of  Louisiana,  and  the  distribution  of 
Its  mutilated  parts   between  England  and  Spain.     As 
men,  they  felt  the  degradation  of  being  bartered  away 
as  .marketable   objects  ;    they   felt    the   loss  of   .heir 
national  character  and  rights,  and  the  humiliation  of 
their  sudden  transformation  into  Spaniards  or  English- 
men, without  their  consent.     As  colonists,  as  property 
owners    as  members  of  a  civilized  society',  they  we  e 
agitated  by  all  the  apprehensions  consequent  upon " 
change  of  laws,  manners,  customs,  habits,  and  govern- 

whenD'Abt7"   t  uTu""'  '^^""^   ^"  L^"'-"-' 
Sc  ober,  1^^^^^^^^^  P"''^'^'  ^^^  ^^"-  ^'  Louis  XV.  in' 


■.(■ 


TFIIRD  LECTURE. 

ON      BV      THK    EnOUH„_MkA^,K„    OF    T„K    ,..nu««,    •■  I  AM    UO.NO    TO    LhILK    MaN- 

IN  Lolisiana-Causes  of  their  expuus.on  from  Acad.a  on  Nova  ScoTiA-THKm 

StriTLEMENT    IN     IX)UISIANA— TllE     MlSSISSII'IT      a    rv.uw    „ 

T?v,.,,Q,.   .„„    V  T  i'llSHISSUIt,     A    fOMMuN    TIIOROUOIIJAUE    FOR    TIIK 

f.  M  F«^-^'-"-I>'<'>NVENIEN.-F.,  THEKEOF-CONSTRUCTION  OF  EnOLISI,  FoR^ 

AT  MANcur,  Baton  Rouoe,  ani.  NATcnEZ-lNTRom-oriON  of  Neoro»>,  „v  t>,k  Eno- 
Lisii-CuRiors  Despatch  from  AfnRv  on  the  DiFFicri-TiEs  encountered  nv  „im_ 
Origin  OF  the  name  of  IUton  RoroE-REi-iu^ENTATioNs  to  t„k  Kinc  male  nr 
rrm  Ix„™ianian3  on  t.,e  treaty  of  C^ion-Tiiev  send  Jean  Miui^rr  iv.s  their 

DELEOATE    TO    FrANCE-I.VTERVIEW     OF     JeAN      M,U,».r      AND    BlENV.IXK   W^T.™ 

Duke  of  Ciio«eu,._Deati,  of  B.envii.i.e-Ui.loa  appointed  Governor  "loT 
siANA  nv  t„e  Kino  of  Sp.mn-His  letter  to  the  Superior  CofNcn,_lI,s  arrivm 

AND    HECEPrlON-GAVARUE    APPOINTED  CoNTADOm    OR  Co.MPTROLLER,     „V   THE    KlN^^ 

Loyola,  Commis«arv  of  War  and  Intendant;  x^avarro,  TreaIer-IWeI' 

MENT     BETWEEN     TJl.r.OA     AN,,     THE     SUPERIOR    Co.NC.I.-He     RF^U^ES    TO    BLOW    nl 

power.,_Hb  reason,  for  it-He  vi.sm  the  different  po.«  and  si^tle™  of 

THE   IR0V,NCE-He     orders    A    CeNSUS     TO     BE    MADE-Tt«    RESUI.T-BlOORAPmCAL 

SKETCH  OF  Char,.f.s  III.,  Ulloa,  Lovola,  Gavarke,  and  Navarro.      '''"""^'"'^*'- 

With  regard  to  that  part  of  the  Treaty  of  Cession 
which  concerned  the  Enghsh,  the  French  were  execut- 
ing  Its  provisions  with  as  much  celerity  as  was  permit- 
ted by  the  obstacles  resulting  from  the  hostility  of  the 
^dians  to  these  new  European  lords  and  masters, 
^yon  de  Vilhers,  who  had  the  command  of  the  Illinois 
District,  abandoned  it  on  the  15th  of  June,  17G4,  and 
amved  at  New  Orleans  on  the  2d  of  July,  with  six 
officers,  sixty-three  soldiers,  and  eighty  of  the  inhabit- 
ants, including  women  and  children.  The  Eno-Hsh 
were  mdeed  eager  to  avail  themselves  of  all  the  adW 
tages   and   acquisitions  they  had   lately   secured,  and 


I;  : 


1    l! 


!! 


il^l 

1^1 

;     i 

1 

■    1 

1 

'  >'l 

■ 

lie 


AliUlVAL   Ut'    niK    At  ADIANS. 


Ui(;ir  ships,  imicli  to  tlio  mortification  of  tli(>  Fronrli, 
v/tTo  s(-(Mi  proudly  parading  up  mul  down  on  the 
bed  of  (he  old  lather  of  rivers.  Tliey  used  to  stoj), 
after  huvin<»  passed  New  Orleans,  at  the  spot  where  is 
now  situated  tlic  city  of  LafaycKe,  and  they  sold  con- 
traband jroods  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  and  of  the 
neiy^hboring  country.  The  wants  of  tiie  colony  were  so 
pressing  at  (lu!  time,  that  D'Abbadic  overlooked  this 
illegal  traffic,  which  was  as  advantageous  to  the  colo- 
nists as  to  the  English.  As  it  was  under  the  pretext 
of  proceeding  to  their  possessions  of  Manchac  and 
Baton  Rouge,  that  the  L^nglish  continued  to  make  a 
stay  at  the  place  above  designated,  it  became  custom- 
ary for  one  to  say,  when  repairing  to  it  for  the  purpose 
of  smuggling  :  "I  am  going  to  Little  Manchac."  This 
phrase  became  proverbial,  and  the  spot  on  which  is 
now  the  city  of  Lafayette,  long  retained  the  name  of 
"  Little  Manchac." 

On  the  ith  of  February,  17G5,  D'Abbadie  died,  and 
Aubry  becam.e  his  successor. 

During  the  course  of  that  year,  the  population  of  that 
part  of  Louisiana  remaining  to  France,  was  increased 
by  a  considerable  emigration  from  the  Alibamons  and 
Illinois  Districts,  which  had  been  ceded  to  the  English, 
and  from  the  province  of  Acadia,  or  Nova  Scotia. 

The  discovery  of  this  province,  in  M97,  has  been 
attributed  to  the  Cabots,  but  no  settlement  was  formed 
in  it  before  1(504,  when  it  was  colonized  by  De  Monts 
and  a  party  of  Frenchmen,  who,  it  is  said,  called  it 
Acadia,  from  the  Indian  name  of  one  of  its  rivers. 
They  were  not  allowed,  however,  peaceful  possession 
of  the  far  distant  and  wild  home,  which  they  had 
selected  in  the  rugged  country,  where  frowned  an 
almost  perpetual  winter.  The  English  claimed  it  as 
their  own  ({>  n,  iin,  in  virtue  of  the  discovery  of  Sebas- 


EXPULSION   OF   THE    A(  \m\v.s. 


117 


liiin  Cabol,  and  sent  ji  force  >vlii(li  siiccooded  in  driv- 
ing away  those  whom  Miey  looked  npon  as  intruders. 
In  Mm,  a  grant  of  the  whole  of  tliis  peninsula,  under 
the  nanic!  of  Nova  Srotia,  was  made  to  Sir  Wilhain 
Alexander.  But  the  French  regained  a  footing  in  it  a 
second  tiin(!,  and  retaiiuMl  it  until  the  strong  and  ever 
victorious  arm  of  Cromwell,  extended  across  the  At- 
lantic, reduced  IIkmu  to  suhjection  in  1().')1.  This  sub- 
jection was  not  of  long  duration,  and,  in  IGOT,  Nova 
Scotia,  or  Acadia,  was  resigned  back  into  the  hands  of 
tlkc  French  by  the  treaty  of  JJreda.  Next  came  the 
treaty  of  Utrecht,  in  17 1:{,  which  expressly  conceded 
Nova  Scotia,  or  Acadia,  in  its  fidl  extent,  to  I-'ngland. 
Then  the  treaty  of  Aix  la  Cliapelle,  in  1718,  re-estab- 
lished all  things  as  the)/  were  before  the  war.  But 
iience  arose  the  j)er[)lexing  (piestions — What  was  the 
state  of  things  before  the  war?  What  was  the  extent 
of  the  territory  forming  the  province  of  Nova  Scotia, 
or  Acadia  ?  What  were  the  limits  between  that  |)ro- 
vince  and  Canada?  From  this  source  sprung  claims 
which  brought  on,  at  first,  partini  collisions  between 
the  French  and  the  English  colonies  on  the  North 
American  continent,  and  those  collisions  were  speedily 
followed  by  a  war  between  France  and  I'higland. 

By  the  treaty  of  Utrecht,  it  had  been  stipulated  that 
the  French  colonists  of  Acadia  should  retain  their  pos- 
sessions. So  far,  they  had  refused  to  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance  as  British  sid)jccts,  except  with  the  condition 
that  it  would  not  obligate  them  to  bear  arms  against  the 
French,  even  in  defence  of  the  province.  The  English 
government  had  not  consented  to  this  modification  of  the 
oath  of  allegiance,  but  had  employed  no  means  of  coer- 
cion against  a  poor  and  scattered  j)opulation,  from  which 
it  anticipated  no  hostility,  beyond  that  which  consisted 
merely  in   the    secret   feelings  of  the   heart.      When, 


\ 

r 


118 


FATE   OF   THE    ACADIANS. 


however,  war  broke  out  between  the  French  and  the 
i^ngiish,  the  Acadians,  who  were  on  the  disputed  terri- 
tory,  openly  sided  with  the  Frencl,,  and  those  wlio 
were  withni  tlie  unquestionable  and  avowed  limits  of 
Acadia,  such  as  it  was  adn.itted  by  the  French  them- 
selves to  have  be(-n  ceded  by  the  treaty  of  1713  as- 
sumed the  character  and  the  name  of  neutrals.         ' 

"  They  dwelt   principally,"   says  Williamson  in  his 
History  of  Maine,  "about  Annapolis,  Chignecto,  Bay 
Verte,   the   Basm  of    Minas,   Cobaquid  Bay,   and    in 
f^aar'''\^~^f   altogether,   made   a  population  of 
18,000  souls.     They  were  an  industrious,  frugal  people, 
strongly   attached    to    the    Frencli    interest    and    the 
Catholic  religion.     So  desirous  were  they  of  throwing 
off  the  yoke,  that  they  had  secretly  courted  the  visit 
of  the    Trench   troops,   and   furnished   them   and   the 
Indians    with    intelligence,    quarters,    provisions,   and 
every  assistance,  and  a  part  of  them  had  actually  taken 
arms  in   violation   of  their  oath  of  neutrahty.      Nav 
ail  of  in.m,  as  heretofore,  utterly  refused  to  take  tlij 
oath    of  unqualified   allegiance  to   the  British   crown 
though  such  as  had  not  appeared  openly  in  arms,  were 
assured,  if  they  would  take  it,  that  they  should  still  be 
allowed  the  unmolested  enjoyment  of  their  lands  and 
liouses. 

"Perceiving  the  indissoluble  attachment  of  the  Aca 
dians,   or    ^French  neutrals^    to    their   parent    nation 
Lieutenant-Governor    Lawrence,   and    the    Provincial 
Council,    with    advice    of    Admirals    Boscawcn    and 
Mostyii,  finally    determined    that    the    whole   of   them 
should  be  removed   and   dispersed  among  the  British 
colonies,  where  they,  being  unable  to  unite  in  any  offen- 
sivc  measures,  would  become  naturalized  to  the  <roverii- 
nient  and  the  country.      Without  knowing  tlu'^r  des- 
tiny, they  were  summoned  to  meet  in  their  chapels, 


FATE    OF    THE    ACADIANS. 


119 


September  5th,  1755,  to  hear  their  docii.  At  Grand 
Pre  (Minas  and  Horton),  assembled  1923  persons, 
aged  and  young,  whom  General  Winslow  met,  and 
after  animadverting  upon  their  disloyal  conduct,  said 
to  them  :  '  I  now  declare  to  you  his  Majesty's  orders. 
Know  then,  that  your  lands,  tenements,  cattle,  and 
live  stock  of  all  kinds,  are  forfeited  to  the  Crown,  with 
all  other  effects  of  yours,  excepting  your  money  and 
household  goods,  which  you  will  be  allowed  to  carry 
with  you :  and  that  yourselves  and  families  are  to  be 
removed  from  this  province  to  places  suiting  his 
Majesty's  pleasure ;  and  in  the  meantime,  to  remain 
in  custody,  under  the  inspection  and  control  of  the 
troops  I  have  the  honor  to  command.  In  a  word, 
I  now  declare  you  all  the  King's  prisoners.'  Shocked 
and  petrified  at  this  thrilling  decree,  some  of  them 
burst  into  tears,  and  some  fled  to  the  woods,  whose 
iiouses  were  committed  to  the  flames,  and  country  laid 
waste,  to  prevent  their  subsistence.  Indeed,  every 
possible  measure  was  adopted  to  force  them  back  into 
captivity. 

"  When  the  transports  arrived  at  Annapolis,  to 
convey  away  the  ill-fated  people  from  that  place  and 
vicinity,  the  soldiers  found  the  houses  entirely  deserted 
by  the  inhabitants,  who  had  fled  to  the  woods,  car- 
rying with  them  tluMr  aged  parents,  their  wives,  and 
children.  But  hunger,  infirmity,  and  distress  soon 
compelled  the  return  of  numbers,  who  surrendered 
themselves  prisoners  at  discretion.  The  more  athletic 
penetrated  into  the  depths  of  the  wilderness,  and 
encamped  with  the  savages;  and  a  few  Avandered 
through  the  woods  to  Chignecto,  and  thence  escaped 
to  Canada. 

"  In  Cumberland,  the  sununons  were  generally  dis- 
obeyed, and  hence  it  was  found  necessary  to  resort  to 


ili' 


M 


;if,i 


1    t 

'^B 

I  1 

'  f  i' 

ijH 

!  ; 

!£^^^^H 

j 

i 

■  I 

1 

1 

120 


IHSPDRSION   OK   Till:    A(:,\niANS. 


tlie  most  severe,  mcusuros.     IIoiv,  2r,3  oC  their  house, 
wore  se,.„,  fire  ,.t  one  ti,.,e,  i„  which  a  great  ,„'::; 
of  «h,.„t    flax,  an,l  other  vahiahh.  artich'S  were  co„ 
«u,„e,l:    ti,e  co.nttry  |,rese„ti„K,  for  several  .h.ysT,  I 
several   ■„,  es,  a  n.ost  .lirefal  scer,e  of  co„llaKra.  o 
As    he  ,1,  lere,,,  Acadia,,  se„l,.,„e„t»  were  too"      X 

only  7,0(  0  wo,-e  ollecto.l  at  this  ti,nc  and  .lisnerse, 
a«,o„g  the  several  Itritish  colonies.     0„  the       ,|    j- 

Se,,te„,he,-,  17o5,  one    h,„„|,,,|   a„,l   si.vty-, yo  ,„° 

me,,,  taken  fro,,,  „,„„„,,  „„  ,„,„„„,,  ,.,,,^      ^  {""^ 

d^-lnet  ot  M,nas,were  .Iriven  by  a  ,nihta,;  gaa,-,!  o , 
boanl  of  five  lra„S|,„rts,  statio„e,l  i„  the  I{i," ,  1? 
).o.oa„v  The  roa.!  fro,,,  „„.  cha|,<.|  ,o  the  s  ,  e,^;  ,e" 
-n.lc-  ,n   l..„gtl,  was  |i„e,l  with  wo„,e„  a„,l  ci,il.h-e ,     || 

•f  "'!"'"'   'r"l-l    i"    >"-'-,    knel I    „„e,.e,|,       , 

'■'■.'■I'  l'""'-'--<'l«<..  sighs-lin-ewell!  as  the  ,1,^ 
pnsonc-s  advance,!  with  slow-  a„,l  ,.eh,c,a„t  '  , 
wee,,,,,.,  ,„.ay„,g,  ,„„,    ,i„„i„„,   ,  ,,^ 

The^e   w..re   follcnve,!    hy   lh,.ir   se„io,.s,   who     ,asse,l 
tl  ro„„|,  „„,         „.  |,„„,.,.„,„,.^^     ^^^^^^^  ^_|.  ^ 

diMrcss  ;    an,    when  other  vessels  arriv.l,  they  carried 
way   also    ,l„,i,.   „i,„,   „„,   ,|,.,,,^„„       '^,„^,";<^ 

amved   ,„  Massael„,s,.,ls  a„,l   Mai,,,,  ,   |„„ ,  "' 

puhhc  cl,a,-j;e,  principally  i„  ,.o„s,.,,a,.„,,.  ,„•  „„";;,,;' 
conclahic  antipathy  to  Iheir  sil„atio„.  Also,  llr,  were 
«^nt  to  Pennsylvania,  and  so,,,,-  «e,-,.  (,-„„;po,-(,.,l  ,a! 
far  sonth  as  Cfeorgia.      Snch  was  the  w,-elcl„.  1  rf 

the  I'rench  nnilmhr 

A  Ibv  pages  fi„-tl„.,-,  the  sa„,e  a„(l„>rg„es  on  say- 
ing. An  act  pass,.dlhe  n,..vl  day  (to  wit,  ll,eO,,l, 
of  Deccnher.  175.-.,)  for  the  ,lisi,.il„,(i„„  „|-  „„, 
Irench  „,.„|rals  tlnongl,  the  pr„v,nce  (Mas.sacl„,.se|,s), 

towns,    „s     benehcary    panp.Ts.       A    ,„i„,her     w,.,e 


DISPERSION   OF    TIIK    ACADIANS. 


121 


m 


assigned  to  Miiiiie.  The  ovorsoors  of  the  poor  were 
re(iuirc(l  to  injikc  suitable  {)rovi.sioii  for  them  at  tlio 
charge  of 'the  province,  unless  they  were  remunerated 
by  the  Crown,  or  by  the  Clovernnient  of  Nova  Scotia. 
IJigoted  to  the  Romish  rehgion,  necessitous,  disaffected, 
and  unhappy,  they  entertained  a  settled,  unconiiucra- 
ble  dishk(!  of  the  Enolish,  their  habits  and  sentinients 
—and  being  exil-s  from  tlnn'r  native  land,  which  they 
loved  and  longed  to  see,  they  were  neither  enterprising 
nor  industrious,  but  an  intolerable  burden  to  the 
government.  According  to  p  committee's  report,  Jan. 
25,  1700,  then;  were,  even  at  that  time,  1,017  of  this 
miserable  peoph;  within  tlu;  province." 

Thus,  the  M"sseFiians,  after  their  noble  and  pro- 
tract(!d  struggle  for  independence  against  the  Si)artans, 
bejng  subjugated,  were  remorselessly  driven  away  by 
their  implacable  foes  from  their  blood-stained  hearths 
and  the  honored  graves  of  their  ancestors,  to  wander 
through  Crcecc  in  search  of  pity  and  assistance,  and 
of  a  new  home  for  the  houseless  exile  in  the  land  of 
the  stranger.  Thus  at  a  later  period,  and  by  a  more 
awful  decree,  Jerusalem  was  torn  from  her  foundations, 
and  th(^  Jews  sown  broad-cast  over  the  face  of  the 
earth,  to  be  the  beasts  of  burden,  the  dogs,  the  foot- 
stools of  every  nation,  or  rather  to  be  the  swine  of  the 
human  species,  herding  through  so  many  centuries  in 
th(>  troughs  and  sewers  of  society,  and  battening  upon 
its  dregs  and  ofTals. 

The  miserable  outcasts  who,  by  an  English  decree, 
had  becMi  made  the  Messenians  ami  the  Jews  of 
Am(!rica,  could  never]  be  reconciled  to  their  fate,  and, 
m  the  words  of  Williamson,  retained  an  imcompicrahlc 
disUhv  of  the  Enirlish.  The  race  which,  in  Acadia, 
liad  deprived  them  of  everything,  of  all  that  is  dear 
to  th(>    luunan  heart,  was  the  very  same  race  they  met 


u 

M 


i- 1 


ii-i 


% 


!■  ! 


,i  !, 


"ATU,:„   OF    rUE    ACAH.ANS    TO    THE    „:^c;^,s,,. 


li 


Til,l 


win  I    „   V    '"■",        "'""■   "I'l"---"-'".  ^"i'l    111.'  I.r.«ul 

-.n,«..,„..,„  a„,i  „„„.,„iH,i„„  i„  „,;l,|,     :  "^  '; 

"1-.    »..win,.  .,,„  OnKon.  too,,,,  „i,r    To    J 

"|.  "I  Iu«  ,lo  nrn.y, 1  ,„  ,,„,,,  j,,,  ,,,     j  ''"» 

go.i.10,0  olai,„o,l!  l)i„-i„,,  „,„  .,,,,_  ,,,  '''";"•"■ 
"loi«ht  ol  „„thinK  olso  lli,„l  li.ulinj;  tlio  ,„o-,„s  „f 
so<'<.ns    ™.no    Koni.l    „|in,o,   who,,,  "„,  v        ,  ,|    1 1 

n,  ,::h;  fJr'  t  ""■  '■■"•-'' ^^  iiiiii.'..si„  ^ 

a  tor  leu  yoar,,  of  »„„■„,„,,  ,„„,  „r  ,,^1,,  |„„,,i„;:;;,      '' 

.i::  .':,,:',;"::„::;;;;i"-^  ^ -"^'" "»«-  -'•  -."'v.ii« ... 

M;!"■^:;;;:,;;;;,;!;^;::r;[^::- -;;'■-;.  .^'H,  or 

arrivfwl  nf  V       /^i        '""""<<'  .iiKMift}    Acadi.ins   had 

Hent  to    ,)rm  sotHo.nonts  in  Attakapas  and  On.  o      s 
""•'-•    /'•<.    c«„„uand     of    Andry         In    o  ,  j^' 

^i-,.atcl.os   to  his  .ovennnont,  th^  i:onJZ;^ ^. 


■i'n 


SKTTI.rCMKNT   OF   ACADIANS    IN     LOUISIANA.       123 


;ill 


w 


caiilt,  ol)S(!rv<;(l  that  tlio.so  scttldiru'iitH  would,  in  a  fo 

yoai-H,  lisc!  to  coii.sidcnihio    iin|)()rtiiiic(',  should   Hayou 

PhKjucuiinc;  ho  cl<!ar(>d,  and  .should  th(!r(;hy  a  InM;  coni- 

nuMiicaiion    hv,    ojx'nod    frotn    tho    River    Mississippi 

to  tho  (iuh"  of  M(!\ico.      The  arrival  of  ili(!S(!  (;ini- 

<,n-ants   threw    tho    |>rovi?icial   authorities   into   a  j^roat 

stat(!    of    p(!rplexity,    by    jorciu^r    tJKiin    into    <'\penscs 

which    they  could   not   well   meet,  on   account  of  tho 

d(>|)loral)l(!    condition    of    the    (colonial    tr(!asury,    and 

whi(th  wen^  incurred   to    increase  the   population  of  a 

province   no   IonjT(.r   l)elon«rin<r   to   l-'rancc;.     Th(!y  felt 

no   l(>ss   anxi(!ty  about   their   responsibility,  in  making 

disburs(!ments  and    in    contractin«r   obligations,  which 

their  governnnMit  mi<.ht  not  apj)rovc.     JJut  the  claims 

of  tlu;   uidorttmat(!  exiles  who  had  come   to  seek  an 

asylum  in   f.ouisiaiia  and  im<l(!r  the  French  fla<>-,  were 

too  strong   to   be   resisted,  and   th(«y    obtained  1i!l   the 

assistance;    which   tin;   i)ublic    purse,  aided   by    private 

<'harity,  could  afford. 

This,  how(!ver,  was  the  least  of  all  the  difliculties 
which  Aid)ry  and  l<\)ucault  had  to  encounter  in  their 
administration  of  the  colony.  Hy  making  the  Mississippi 
a  connnon  thoronghfan;  for  the  ICnglish  and  tlu;  I'rench, 
a  wi(l(Mloor  had  been  op<;ne(l  to  jc^alousies,  appreh(;n- 
sions,  misund(>rstandings,  and  conllicts  of  ev(!ry  kind. 
The  I'rench  saw,  with  distrust,  the  freciuent  transpor- 
tation of  iMiglish  troops,  through  tin;  very  heart  of  the 
j)oor  r(«nmant  of  their  once  so  extensive  and  magnificent 
possessions.  They  heard,  with  imeasiness,  the  morning 
and  eNcning  guns  which  the  Mnglish  fired,  as  they  went 
up  and  down  the  river.  'I'his  gun-tiring  greatly  alarnuul 
and  excited  the  Jndiiins,  who  took  it  as  a  sign  of  hosti- 
lity or  triumph.  They  could  hardly  be  p(>nsuaded  that 
It  was  no  moie  than  a  military  usage,  and  they  had 
ind)ibed    tin;    im[.ression,    that     the    IVench    admitted 


ill 


t\ 


'•■it 


i      ; 


M 


«l ' 


521      Tin;    MISSISSIPPI    A    c 


(mmm  TiioitoiionFARi!;. 


tlicir  iiirciioriiy,  or  showed 


tl 


IIS    pi-ovocutioii    o(r(!r(Ml    to    ll|( 
Knglisl 


cowjirdicc,  in  not  rcs( 


iitinir 


ni. 


1  sovereignty   were  not  conllned   ( 
monsfnitions   and  the    ,,ai;„h.   of   naval 


l^iit    the    acts    of 


iViijat 


igiile  Mas   s(!nt  to  tl 


K'  nuMifh  of  Mancl 


o  empty  do- 
f^tren<r1h.     A 


was  to  remain  mitil  a    fort   shonld   I 
nown  that  another  fri.ral 


lae,  wh<'re  she 


was 
Nat 


iilso  I 


riK 


philed. 


z,   where   the   erection  of  a   f 


>v   constni(tl(!(l.     It 

e  was  to  ascend  to 

Tort  was  contcm- 


On   the    intli   of  May,   Anl 


nient  :  "  It  is  I 


tilde,  to 


or  us  a,  new  and  even  an  al 


)ry  wrote  to  his  irovern- 


see  constan 


to 


hips  of  war  and  for 


<'y  I 


iirmm^-  sp(>c 


);issin<r  before^  New  OrJ 


pt'.-ice,  ;in<l  ahhon«r|i  it 


vign  troops.     Ahhonj-h  w 


leuFis. 


e  are  m 


'«"'";  ><'t  1  feel  inwardly,  and,  as  it 


s(>ems  that  wc  have  nolh 


in<r 


were,  in  spite  of 


invo 


".}sell,  alarms  on  this  snl,,(M.t,  considering-  that    f  1 
[KMther  ships,  nor  troop.,  nor  ammn.iili,,,,,  to  oppose 

-stde  d.s,,.,s,  sh<M.ld  any  snd.  he  i;n-n.ed;   Tt  seelm^^^^ 
^•>  "H^  indccorons  not  to  hav(>  any  hattery  on  th(>  riv(T  • 
-|-|nc..tly,  I  |.d  twenty  p 
ion  earnaoes  m  front  of  the  barracks.     In  thi,'    way, 
c  shall  re  nrn  n.ore  d<>cently  the  salntes;  and,  b.^sides 
Jt  commands  respect. 

e-^7!h    ^'"""'''  '•"'  "'■'^"'■'"'  ^'"'">^^"lv<^^  to  opc.i,  with 

ease,  the  commnnication  which  had  long  lu>en  stopped 

dw;.n  I  ake  Maurepas  an<l  the   MissLippi,  thri  l 

lu«  Kn(>r  Iberv,lh>  (now  Manchac),  which  is  thirty-fit.. 

of'New    (3     "'T'T'"'"^^ 

of    ^c^     Orleans.      I}„t    this   ent(>rpris(,    is    more    dif- 

hcnlt  than  tlu>y  had  thought,  and  Dn  Pare,  an  inhabi 
ant  of  tins  colony,  who  had  undertaken  this  task,  with 

•ng  than    ,t  ever  was.      It  is  exceedingly    diflicnit    to 


KNGMSII    lOKTIl'KJATIONS. 


125 


conciliiifo,  at  the  same   time,  the   lui^hsh,  the;  French, 
and  the  Inchans,  who  are  here  pell-nuill. 

"  The  c<)rreHj)ondence  which  I  am  ohWavAl  to  liave 
with  the  iMighsh,  who  write  to  me  from  alJ  parts,  and 
|)iirtieiil:.rly  with  the  (;overnor  of  Mohile,  jrives  me 
s(;rious  occupalion.  This  <,rovern()r  is  an  extraordinary 
man.  As  he  knows  that  I  speak  En^rh.sh,  he  occasion- 
ally writes  to  me  in  verse;.  He  sp«>aks  to  me  of 
I^-iincis  I.  and  Charles  V.  He  conmares  Pontiak,  an 
Indian  chief,  to  Mithridates ;  he  says  that  he  ^roes  to 
bed  with  Montesqnieu.  When  there  occur  sonu)  petty 
difri(Milti(!s  between  the  inhabitants  of  i\(3w  Orleans  and 
Mobile,  ho  quotes  to  me  from  the  Creat  Charter 
(Miiuna,  Chiirtii)  and  the  laws  of  (ireat  Britain.  It  is 
said  that  the  l<:n«rlish  Ministry  sent  him  to  Mobile  to 
get  rid  of  him,  because  Ik;  was  one  of  the  hottest  in  the 
opposition.  He  pays  me  handsome  compliments,  which 
I  duly  return  to  him,  and  upon  the  whole,  he  is  a  man 
of  parts,  but  a  dang(irous  neighbor,  against  whom  it  is 
well  to  be  on  one's  guiird. 

"  The  ordinary  communication  from  Mobile  to  New 
Orleans  is  through  the  J.akes  and  Hayou  St.  John.  So 
far,  we  have  always  permitted  the  English  to  pass  in 
that  direction.  I  have  latcjly,  however,  refusisd  this 
privileg(>  to  Mr.  Farmer,  who  is  going  to  the  Illinois 
with  three;  hundred  men.  He  has  the  river;  let  him 
use  it."  And  so  did  the  l^iglish,  in  no  sparing  manner, 
and  nuich  to  their  comnKu-cial  advantage.  At  the  fort 
they  had  constructed  at  Manchac,  and  which  they 
called  l<ort  IJute,  in  complim(>nt  to  Lord  Jiutc,  the 
celebrated  favorite  of  tlxur  King,  as  well  as  at  'their 
settlements  of  Baton  Rouge  and  Natchez,  they  were 
carrying  on  a  large  contraband  trade  with  the  inhabit- 
ants  of  French  Louisiana,  who  used  to  rej)air  to  these 
places  lor   all   their   supplies.      Besides,   the   En.rjish 


![i 


'U 


i   i: 


rzo 


l>KSIHI|-n(IN    OK    BATON    m,,,,.,; 


"'"I"*'  "'  .«•""«  "I'  ' "v„    ,|„.   rivrr.  unrr   „,.„v,.|v 

'■"«''«'"'  '"  "'"'Wli'W.  ■■" »|M'.-..,llv.  „„l,„|,.,l  „|  ..v,,v 

'"'"" "  I"-;;;  ""■  |<""i '"'  •■■■""" -  .„  n,,.  »i„ fr 

"."" ""•  !'l.'i"-n-.     A»  11,,.  ,-ni„„v  „.„»„„, I,,.  ,.v,. 

""«,.,■„  ,„.r,  (,„.  I,,.,-  ,n„l,.,  ,1„.  K„v,.,-„„„.,„  «„,K,..I  " 
Mil's,,  ilhi'it  (nin«ii,-liiiriH. 

•"■•     '.".M,   ,n„l   ,vl,„.|,    ,|,„v| ,„,„,, „' 

I   '""'■;""':"'"'"'l'™l-« „. n,,,,,,!!.,,,,!™,, 

l"-nl,.l    "..llnnK  l„.,„,r  ,|,,,„   „  „„s,.,.,l,|,.   i;,,,|„,    „  ,, 

i,;::;  "■'.", "'';"  -r  t""""-'  •■""■"• -  ■■■ « '" 

'""'"•"'  -"-  '"  «"•  s.,,„.  „r  ,,„„i,,;„ 

:;"■'  '";'''"':'-■  "i.,T,.  ,i„.  r, .,,,  ,„,..,, 

',";  '"'""'  ,^'"'-  I-  •■-■-.I  a„  ;„, , 

•"v„.  s  ,h,.  „„.r„l,„...  ,„„,   ,„„„|i,     ,„.  |„.„„  ,   . 
.y    m„l  ,„„  „  „,  I,  ,,„,^„^,,„.,„   

''  ""  .'"  ""'I  '"  l'l^'"»  "1-  .■■•lonn.  ,r  „„f,  ,„    ,,|„.   ,„.,,,.„. 
.    ■-.M.i.rl,,.  I,..,ul-,|,„„.l,.r»  „ni,a.  s|,i,.il„„l  |,n,vi, ,„ 

h  .11,.   „  ,.„s„.||„„,<|  |,„i|,|i„.  I,,,,,  ,,„„„  ,,,,„,,,.,   , 

■"■'"■'•■'I  "-,  '""<««'  <l.o  AnKl,..N„n,u„>  ,s,yl,.  „r  J,Z 
tecturo,  a„.l  ,vl,i,.|,   ..,.,.„„  ,„  |„„|,  ,,„„    ;„„,  „,„      ' 


i 


It 


DiiHf'nii'TfoN  OF  luroN  nnvav.. 


127 


"'    "    '"*"*'"'  '""•""'  ">'   •!'<■    fown,  .'uhI  (Ml  thr  rni.rl.fy 
viM'V  lull.n^r  mjijrMtiriilly  „t   tUv.   Im.l,  of  if.s  .Hiiow-wliilr 

low* 'I'M. 

Tiir  nipilfil  of  l^oiiisiiinii  dcHcrvcH  fliot  (Im;  (,ii.,ir,  „|- 
«IH  ni.inc  «,(•  |{„fo„   |io„a,.,  <„•  W,.,|   mi,.|<,  |„,  n.ronJ..(l 
II  IM  vv.ll  known  Ili;,t  11,,.  ,y|,n.HH  trco,  in  tlii»  Honlli..rn 
HiMIMl.MIHrS  lo  „    prodiui.M.H  Im.|;m,.,  ,„„|  thni  itH  Ik.Hv 
iH  o(  II    ivdilisli   Ini,-.     liH  fnink   is  .sliorn   oC  hrnndirM 
)«'hI   lis  Im'.-kI  iil«,no  wrm-H  ;,    IcnCy  rrowii.     In    inliin's 
I'oolv   of    nirliilrrl,,,,.,  it    rr^nrnnUn  \hv.  ,„||,,r   „i(h  Uh 
'•'"'IMt'T.     |.„   I'a^r,.   du   |>ral/  rHnlrs  that,  in  liis  linu- 
I'hto  was  yvA    |„  |,o  ho,.|i,  on   llir  pn-Hrnt    nilr  of  flu, 
(•!<|>it!>l  o(  Louisiana,  a  (iinioiis  ryiuTHH  lm-,oiit  of  wliid, 
"■'  «"'i»<'>'l'''-  l"««l  oir.ivd  lo  iMiild  two  bouts,  on.,  of  Hix- 
U'vn  tons,  and  llu,  othrr  of  roiirlrcn.     "As  tlic  wood 
«><    tlm  (viMvsH   trn(.   is   ivd,"  says   F.„   |'a;^r,.  ,|.i    |»,at/ 
"  <»'•«•  <>l   Hio  (ii-Ht  IravrlliTH  who  aniv,!  at  this  lorality' 
<>xcliiini.<l    thiit    this    tHM,    wcMild    inako    n    fn,,,    .stick' 
ll(Mir(.    thr   nanir   of  Halon   Kon«..  (krd    Stick)  .riven 
to  Ihm  plac...     With  n.^rard  to  thi,  trcM-,  its  hci.rh?  Ins 
"<'t  .'H  .y.t  h.Mui  mcaHur(,d.     It  towers  ahnost  beyond 
si^hl."  *^ 

If  this<|,.H(-ri|)lion  bo  tnie,  this  red  stick  would  hnvo 
d(^s«>rv(.d  lo  have  becMi  handled  by  oiu;  of  the  Titans  (,f 
old  (inM.ce.  'J'ho  ancient  Konuins,  who  used  to  .sen 
omens  and  presa^res  in  nverythin^r,  would  hardly  have 
|"'l'"<l  t«)  l)eliov(.  that  this  prodi^ry  of  the  ve^retablc 
kn.frdon,  was  the  sure  si«n  of  some  extraordinary  dos- 
tiny,  ((,r  tlu;  sacred  spot  on  which  it  had  been  planted 
by  the  (iods. 

When  ihe  inhabitants  of  r.onisiana  had  been  in- 
formed  of  the  trcsaty  of  cession  to  Spain,  thc^y  had 
resolved  to  make  representations  to  the  French  ^rovern- 
men.  They  hop.-d  that  the  king  of  I'Vance,  when 
niudo  aware  of   their  love  and  devotion,  wonid  retract 


^ 

1 

Jr' 


f''^ 


, 

i  -f 

V2H 


im(oti;nt   \<;ainnt  tiii;  cknnion. 


•H  (Ion.  .on    an.l  fl,,,.   (!,<.;    ^umU\   (|,„s  pn-vrnt  what 
lH«v  Mil  ,|,v.ulr,i   MO  nuKi,.     (*ons,M,.,r„.lv,  rvrry  ,,;,n,s|, 
I';"'   '»'•':"   "'V'K-d  (o  srn.i  ,lrlrKnl<.H   (o  New  Oi'loanH. 
II..Mnv.lal,o„  was  not  rn.idrss,  vywy  parish  ivsmo„,1,.,| 
';»   '»'"'"';'   ""Mnrrons  ass,.,nl>ly,  nunposr,!  of    ,„,„.  of 
\Uv  .nos(  <|,st.nu„islM>(|  ini.ahilants  o((lu.  cohM.y,  n.cl  at 
N<nv  ()rl,.ans.     Th.   ,nn.n,,al  an.l    n.ost  ucfiv;  na.n- 
horswrr.:    Lafrcni^iv,  tlu.   Anon.<>y-(;.>n..ral    Do,,..., 
M.     .Mfr,   P.n,y,ll,M-(sl)'AnM,sl,o„,..s.J,.an   ,VIill,.t,  tho 
w.-aMI.,rsl„.n.d,a„t  .-ni,,.   ro|.,„v.  .I„s..,>|,   Milh.Mus 
bn.tl.r,.    St.  Max,.,.,,   I),,    r.,    Cl.ais.,   Ma.<,„is,   (ianr, 
M,isa„,  MassanfTp,  |>o„p,t,  N,,va„,   IJoisMa,,,.,  (;,,„<!. 
^Mi.iso.,,  F.ala,..i.,  F.csnssi.M-,  IJn,,,,!,  tl,.  Kind's   p,-i,„,.r 
Kcr,i„),i,  Camnv,  Dc'ssalos,  cVc. 

Tl';"  Atfo,.,„.v-(;,.nr,-al,  [.a(-,v„i(,-o,  altor  liavin-r  dc- 
l>";t<'<l  '•«  u  v,M-y  vnvr<^vUv.  and  <.|o,|,u.„t  sp,...!,,  ,!,,. 
siul  s,„,a„on  ,>!•  ,|..  .oIo,.y,  pn-s,....!  a  .vsolotion 
bVMhu-h  ll.r  o»|,>,Msts,  ,„  a  body,  s„pp|in„,,|  ,1,,.  Ki„. 
;>t  l-ra„r,M,otfosrvn-  ll„.,„  (n.,n  ll.o  ,„„il„.,T,o„n,rv^ 
ll.c  .vso|„„„„  was  ,.„a,.i„.o„s|y  adopted,  a,.<|  .|,.a„ 
M.llu't  was  sol.cl,.d  to  cany  it  t,»  tl,<.  Coot  of  the 
tliron(>.  "^ 

Thr  fi,-s,  caro  of  Jean  Milh,.t,  on  his  an-ival  in  Pari. 
was  to  wa,(  o„  Mi.,.ville.     That  d,s,i„,n,ished  ...an  was' 
>'":•'    "'.''-  fti'3-u-,stHl.v,a.,.i,.,,howeve,-,ah..ost 

""!"l';"'-^^^''  ^''^'  "'<>'-<-^'  =»'nl    n.lellert,.al   lac.lties  whirl, 
had  chamcten/ed   hi,,,    ,h,-o„.h    life.     The    hody    was 
notl-n^-   hat   ,l.e  wreek  of  a  goodly  ship,   whieli,  after 
'•avi.,o-  iMvn  Jo„.  h.,irc.ted   by  the  sto,-,..s  of  th.>  w(,rld 
was  now   last   si„ki„ir    i„to  ,he  yawning  al.yss.      J{„; 

1.0  sp,r,tnal  eo,..,„a,idei-,  the  so.,|,  .....eorched  by  the 
turyoi  tl.<>  cont(M.di,.g  ele.,.,.,.fs,  fatig,,,,],  „ot  s„hd„ed 
or  jl,sn..yed  conid  be  seen  pn.adly  stanclin,  o„  tl.  I 
deck,  serenely  surveying  the  desolating  scene  and  the 
approaches  of  desolation,  and  ready  To  spring  np,  at 


i 


riii:sr.NTATi<>N  of  tiik  petition. 


129 


i 


lorn  of 


On>  Inst   momciiif,  iVoiii  ulicrc  i(  stood,  to  tlio  si , 

f-toriiiil  |M'!ir<.   and   sj.tity,     Drcply  ^rri,.v,d    uns   Ik,   iii 
hiiw  lived  lon^r  oiio.i«,'li  1(»  «,.„  tj,,,  unulual  aJMHcmcnt  of 
J'nincr,  and  the;  jKirlition  of  I.c.isiaiia  hrtwcni  Mn.rjand 
ii.d  SpaiM.     What   had  Imtoiuc  o<-  Canaihi,  his   rmtivo 
'•onntry  f     What  ofhairor  [<<Miisiaria,  that  coNu.y  whirl, 
lie  ]i!m!   UmuiU'd    m  ruurwi    with    his   U-lovcd   hroth.r 
Iberville  f     What  had  hrvunw  of  that  splendid  creation 
o\  hiH  yoiithlMl  (lays  f     Was  I'rai.ee  now  to  nixv  up  tlu; 
lust,  Mich  of  that   inHueiis.;   territory,  whieh  he  h;id   ae- 
•inired  <or  her,  at  the  cost  of  so  many  perils  and  so  nineh 
"iiduranre  >    Was  it  for  the  Spaniards  that  he  had  call*.,! 
New   Orleans  int(.  life!'     Were  the  (.onisianians,  were, 
JIm>  innneroiis  niernhers  of  his   family,  whose    home  In- 
had  seleetcil  in  the  r-ra<lle  of  his   future  fame,  wore  his 
snany  friends  and  th«^  old  companions  of  his  lalmrs,  to  he 
no  lon^r,,r  his  r(Mmtryn.en  f     Well  may  it  he  in»a<ri,„-d^ 
nith  what  readiness  IJienville  aeeeptvd  the  proixrsition 
ol  Mdhet,  to  caU  with  him  <mi  tli<5  IVim(!  Mi/iiste'r,  Duko 
<'')f  Cho/senl. 

IntrodiKM'd  into  the  l))d<e's  closet,  they   laid   heforo 
?iim  the  petiticvn  of  the  inhahitaiits  of  Louisiana.     Mil- 
het, their  delegate,  uas  the  IJrst  to  addr<«ss  the  Minister, 
-Hid  nr<r,.   upon   him  ail   th(>  consi({erati(uis  whi/-|i,  liJ 
<!«on{^lit,  oii^lM  to  induce   I'Vanco  to  retain  that  iit.port- 
nnt  possession.     Then,  lUenvill,',  with  tlu;  authority  of 
hjs  anc  an<l  jwst  services,  and  with  an  eIo(|U(.nce  inspired 
hy  the  deep  fe<;lin^rs  which  overflowed  his  heart,  made  a. 
j)!ith(>tic  appeal,  not  only  to  the  reason,  hut   also  to  the 
sensihilit}  of  the   powerful  man  who  Ii(-ld   in  his  ha-ids 
the  fat<!  of  r-ouisiana.     Klo(|uent  indeed  ho  was,  for  he 
spoke  like  a  father  suin^r  fo,.  sh,.  |ii;,  ,,f  f,j„  ^.|,j|j|_     -j^j^^ 
Duke  listenv«d  with  conrt(«ous  attention,  hut  said  in  reply, 
and    in   f(«w   words,  that   he   re^rn-tUHl   his   inability  to 
change  tiic  course  of  things,     Jean   MilJict,  despuirincr 

9  " 


::ii 


I 


''■ 


';^ 


!    ; 


130 


RESC/LT  OF  THE   HIS.VIOV. 


ol  success,  and  >vitl.  a  look  of  profound  affliction,  Uad 
nsc„  to  (K.,Kirt,  when  liwmm  ^r,ivc  way  to  ti.c  cn.o- 
tK)n«  wind,    so  far    l,a.l   hoon   pent  ap  i„    l.i,  UcavL 
loars  ^rushed  from  his  cyvs,  his  tr..n»i«lon.M  Immls  s.-Jzod 
tliose  ot  the  Duke,  he  bent  his  knee,  ami  in  this  humble 
posture  with  an  ahnost  sol>hin<r  v(,ic(>,  ho  prayed  for  a 
reconsideration  of  the  decree  issu.>d  against  the  colony, 
1  his  was  loo  much  even  for  the  minister.     He  appeared 
greatly  moved ;  he  hasti/y  raise<l  up  the  octooenarian 
smtor,  whom  he  embraced  ,vitli  respect,  and,  a.  it  were 
m  token  ol  the  sy;npathy  he  felt  for  a  distress  he  could 
not  relieve.    But  lim  resolution  was  not  shaken,  and  he 
Kaid  m  a  soothin^r  tone:  "CJentlemen,  I  ,mi«t  p«t  an 
end  to  this  painful  scene.     I  am  deeply  grieved  at  not 
beinc^  able  to  gne  you  any  hope.     I  have  no  hesitation 
'"  leliinfT  you  that  I  cannot  address  the  Kin<r  on  thi« 
f^uDject,  because  I,  myself,  advised  the  cession  of  Loui.'- 
siana.     Is  it  not  to  your  knouledj^e  that  the  colony  can- 
not continue  its  precarious  existence,  except  at  an  enor- 
nious  expense,  of  which  France  is  now  utterly  incapable? 
iH  It  not  better,  then,  that  Louisiana  should  be  «iveii 
away  to  a  friend  and  faithful  ally,  than  be  wrested  Ivom 
us  by  an  hereditary  foe  t     Farewell-you  have  my  besj 
wishes.    I  can  do  no  more."     Thus  disnus^ed,  the  noble 
veteran,  Bieiivjlle,  sta^rored  out  of  the  minister',  room 
leaning  on  the  arm  of  Milhe!.     (Jrief  hud  loosened  the 
leeble  chords  which  bound  him  to  life,  and,  a  short  time 
after,  he  was  no  more.     He  had  departed  to  meet  hi.* 
lavorite  brother  Iberville,  jn  a  better  world. 

Although  Milhct  duly  informed  his  fellow-citizens  of 
the  remit  of  his  mission,  yet  they  continued  to  Halter 
themselves  with  the  hope  that  the  treaty  of  cession 
would  not  be  carried  into  execution.  This  hop(>  was 
founded  on  circumstances,  which  were  inter(.reted  by  the 
colomsts  m  a  manner  favorable  to  their  wishes     For 


II.I,OA    APPOINTKD  CiOVEUXOK  OF    lOirisIA.NA.      131 

.  inslmico,  on,,  yonr  l„„l  ehpscl  sincn  tho  rccoipt  of  tl,o 

n  letter,  1,1  whici,  t|„.  Ivinj,  |,^,|  i„„r„c„,,|  ,).^\|,;,,„||     ^ 

.ohver  „,.  Iho  colony,,,  ,|,„  fir..t  SpnisI,  offi,.,.r,  who 
.liouW  i.rcs,.,,,  I,„„„.|rwitl,  the  .HxcHary  power.-.  Sueh 
an  officer  Imd  not  „.s  yet  arrive,!,  and  it  see,n,.d  that  the 
Kni^rol  Spam  was  nmkin^r  no  preparation  to  tali,,  poa- 
»e..s,on  o,  the  provinc,..    Thus,  the  lowerin.  do  ,<b 

winch    l,a,l  ,|ark,., |h„  hori.on,   were   fi.s?  sinkt^ 

away  ron,  he  «,gl,t  of  the  colonists,  when  they  rca^! 
peare,l  w.th  a  hiacker  sl,a,le,  at  the  n,.ws  tiaft  jZ 
Anton,o  ,le  Ulloa  ha,l  l,een  appointcl  (iovernor  o  I  o™ 

ZT'  ;",  ,  '""'.  "■■■'i:'"'''  "'"-ana.  Soon  after,  on  the 
loth  of  ,I,ay,  ,h,.,  ofKcor  wrote  to  the  Superior  Couucd 
at  New  Orleans  the  following  l,.tler : 

G.xT,,MKx,_"  Having  recently  been  instructe,!  by 
Ins  Cathohc  Ma|,.sty,  to  repair  to  yonr  (own  an,l  take 
posse.,.s,„n  of  ,t  ,n  hi.s  name,  an,l  in  conforn,i,y  with  he 
orders  of  h,.,  ,„os,  Christian  Majesty,  I  avail  n.yscif  of 

th,s  occasion,  to  tnake  yon  ae linted  with  my  n,is.sion 

and  to  g,ve  yon  mlbrmation,  that  I  shall  soon  have  the' 
honor  !,>  he  among  yon,  in  onler  to  proceed  to  the  eye- 

that ,   w  II  airor,l  mo  lavorahle  opp„r„mities,  to  render 

•on  all  the  .erv.ees  that  yon  an,l  the  inhabitants  of  yo.'r 

own  may  des.r,- ;  of  which  I  beg  yon  to  give  tim 

the  as.snranc,3  fron,  n,e,  and  to  lo,",hen.  know  tha     " 

-;n.m.s,  only  discharge  my  d,,ty  and  gratily'm'; 

AXTO.MO  DE  Ul.UH." 

^  At  the  n,oment  when  the  conntry  was  tbns  on  the 
eve  of  changmg  .ts  ol,l  livery  of  colonial  bonda-e  ,or 
another  one,  the  King  of  France  thonght  proper  to",l,r 

oml  oni,:  ,-M  r7'"  ''""''  ■="' -fconsolation  ?^; 

some  of  the  faithful  servants  whom  ho  was  abandoning 


'I 


B« ;  I 


Iri 


,  t 


hi 


'ffi 


132 


ARRIVAL   OF    ULLOA. 


and  sent  the  decorations  of  the  Cross  of  St.  Louis  to 
Marest  de  la  Tour,  Eonille,  D'Arcnsbourg,  and  La- 
vergne.  ^ 

August,  September,  October,  November,  December, 
passed  away,  and  Ulloa  did  not  come !  WJmt  detained 
hmi,  when  so  near  ?  Had  counter  orders  arrived  ?  And 
hope,  that  foehng  liappily  so  congenial  to  humr-n  nature, 
of  so  rapid  growtli  and  of  so  slow  deca^^  began  to  revive 
in  the  breasts  of  the  colonists  The  year  176G  had 
begun  its  onward  march,  and  had  brought  no  Ulloa ' 
Many  of  the  colonists  now  adopted  the  conviction,  that 
the  Treaty  of  Cession  was  nothing  but  a  sham  instru- 
ment,  concealing  some  diplomatic  manocuverino- 

In  the  month  of  February,  21G  Acadians  an-ived  in 
Louisiana.  The  families,  who  had  first  souc^ht  rofucre 
m  the  colony,  had  set  up  an  example,  which  others  had 
been  eager  to  follow.  Liiplements  of  husbandry  were 
distributed  to  them  at  the  cost  of  the  government,  and 
they  were  authorized  to  form  settlements  on  both  sides 
of  the  Mississippi,  from  the  German  Coa.t  up  to  Baton 
Kouge,  and  even  as  high  as  Pointc  Coupee.  Hence 
the  name  of  Acadian  Coast,  which  a  portion  of  the' 
banks  of  the  river  still  bears.  To  theso  Refugees,  during 
the  hrst  year  of  their  settlement,  were  given  the  same 
rations  which  were  allowed  the  troops  of  the  colony 

On  the  .5th  of  March,  17GG,  the  town  of  New  Orleans 
was  thrown  into  a  great  state  of  excitement.  The  lon.r 
expected  Ulloa  had  arrived  at  last,  and  had  landed  with 
two  companies  of  infantry  commanded  by  Picrna^^  He 
was  accompanied  by  Loyola  as  Commissary  of  War  and 
Intendant,  Gayarre,  as  Contador,  or  Comptroller,  and 
Navarro,  as  Treasurer.  Besides  their  respective  attribu- 
tions,  Gayarre  and  Navarro  were  made  joint  commis- 
sioners  with  Loyola,  to  take  possession  of  the  colony 
and  to  appraise  all  the  objects  belonging  to  the  Kincr  of 


TREATMENT   OF    THE    SUPERIOR    COUNCIL.  133 

Franco,  which  tlic  King  of  Spain  might  think  convenient 
to  keep  for  Ins  own  account.     Tiie  reception  of  Ulloa 
was  respectful,  but  cold  and  sullen,  betokening  clearly 
the  discontent  of  the  population.    Having  been  requested 
by  the  Superior  Council  to  exhibit  his  powers,  he  re- 
fused, on  the  ground  that  he  intended  to  postpone  taking 
possession  of  the  country,  until  the  arrival  of  all  the 
Spanish  forces  which  he  expected.     He  added  that  he 
had  nothing  to  do  with  the  Superior  Council,  which  was 
nothing  else  than  a  civil  tribunal,  by  which  he  could  not 
possibly  be  called  to  any  account ;  and  that,  with  regard 
to  the  delivery  of  the  province  into  his  hands,  he  had  to 
deal  only  with  Governor  Aubry,  m  hom  he  recognized  as 
the  sole  competent  authority  in  that  matter.     Here  was 
a  bitter  pill  to  swallow ;   it  was  the  first  but  decided 
mtimation  to  the  Superior  Council,  that,  henceforward, 
it  was  no  longer  to  be,  what  it  had  been— one  of  the 
ruling  powers    of  the  colony.     The  members  of  that 
body  had  been  used   to  believe   that  they  were   very 
great  personages ;  and  to  be  suddenly  told  by  a  new- 
comer, that  he  had  not  of  them  the  same  exalted  opinion, 
which  they  themselves  entertained,  was  gall  and  worm- 
wood.     Nothing   can   be   more  unforgiving   than   the 
wounded  pride  and  self-love  of  petty  functionaries ;  and 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  cavalier  and  unconciliat- 
ing   manner,   in   which   the   members   of  the   Council 
thought  they  were  treated  by  Ulloa,  was  one  of  the 
causes  of  subsequent  events. 

Ulloa,  although  he  refused  to  show  his  powers,  and 
to  take  formal  possession  of  the  colony,  proceeded, 
however,  to  visit  its  differem  posts  and  settlements.  At 
Natchitoches,  particularly,  h  ^  remained  a  considerable 
time,  studying  the  locality,  aid  making  inquiries  as  to 
its  fficihties  of  comnumication  with  the  Mexican  pro- 
vinces.    He  ordered  a  censrs  to  be  made  of  the  whole 


I 

hi' 


s 


Ml ! 


I  ' 

m 
III 


h 


I 

I! 


'  M 


!'i 


134 


CHARACTER    OF    CHARLES   III. 


\l    ! 


II 


population  of  Louisiana,  and  tin;  n^sult  was  found  to  be ; 
WXi  men  able  to  carry  arms,  lOM  women,  married  or 
unmarried,  1375  male  children,  .and  1240  of  the  other 
sex.  'J\)tal,  r>5G2.  The  blacks  w<'re  about  as  nume- 
rous.  JJut  the  poj)-,-.lation  was  somewhat  reduced  by  an 
epidennc  which  prevailed  in  that  year  (I7(5(J),  and 
which,  jt  IS  said,  closely  resembled  the  disease  now  so 
well  known  here,  under  the  name  of  yellow  fever. 

The  monarch,  whose  subj(>cts  the  inhabitants  oi' Loui- 
siana w(>re  d(>stined  to  be,  was  far   superior,  as  to  lh(. 
quahlications  of  a  nuui   and  ol'  a  king,  (o  the  fe(>blc 
and  corrupt  Louis  XV.      Charles  111^  who  wore  the 
crown  of  Spain  and  of  the  Indies,  was  the  son  of  Philip 
V.   and    ]<:iizabeth    Fariiese,    and    was    born    in  .Janu- 
ary,  1717.*     Called  to  tin;  succ(>ssion  of  Tuscany,  wlu>n 
the  last  of  the  Medici  hud  died  without  leaving  heirs  to 
that  illustrious  name,  C^harles,  before  the  diimi  of  ado- 
lescence  had  shaded  his  chin,  appeared  in  Italy  in  1730 
at  the  head  of  the  armies  of  his  father,  the  Catholic  Kin./ 
I'our  years  alter,  he  invaded  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  aird 
made  a  triumphant  entry  in    its   noble  cai)ital,  whoso 
gates  liad  been  thrown  ojx'n  at  tin;  sight  of  the  h(>roic 
bands  of  Spain.     Proud   of  his  son,    IMiilip   V.  ceded 
to   him   all    his   rights    to    the    kingdom   of   the   two 
Sjcihes.     IJut  the  imperial  troops  of  (ierniany  were  ad- 
vancing, to  wrest  from  the  youthful  warrior  the   fiiir 
prize  he  had  grasped  so  boldly.     The  battl(«  and  victory 
of   JJitonto  secured  to  him  the  crown  of  which  he  was 
worthy,  and  the  ])uk(>  of  Montemar,  who  commanded 
the  troops  of  his  Catholic  Majesty,  received  the  title  of 
Duke  of  iJitonto.     After  having  firmly  established  his 
authority  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  Charh«s  inva<led 
tMCily,  and,  m  less  than  one  year,  compiered  the  whole 

*  Liogruphie  UiiiviTsdle  tie  Mifhiuul. 


MIMTARY    CAKEKR    OF   CHARLES    111. 


1.35 


island.  Then,  in  W.i^  ho  was  rocognizod  as  Kincr  of 
the;  two  Sicilies  by  r.ouis  XV.,  and  his  an.l)assm]or 
was  oinm\y  received  at  the  conrt  of  that  monarch.  In 
n.W,  the  treaty  of  peace,  si^mod  at  Vienna,  h'ft  him  the 
undispnted  master  of  an  Italian  kincrdom.  He  had 
well  fonght  for,  and  deserved,  the  splendid  ac(inisition. 
Alter  having  used  the  sword  with  distinguished  valor,  he 
knew  how  to  wi(.ld  the  sceptre  with  moderation,  and 
the  wisdom  and  magnanimity  of  his  administration  won 
to  Inm  th<!  deep  attachment  of  his  subjects. 

War  again  broke  out  between  the  great  continental 
powers  of  Em-opc,  and  Italy  becanu^  as  for  ages  it  had 
been,  the  devoted  battle  ground  for  the  arniies  of  1- ranee, 
Spam  and  G(>rmany,      Very  naturally,  Cliarl(>s  joined 
his  forces  to  those  of  his  father.     Wlum  the  jarriiig  cle- 
ments  o<  stri lb  arc  at  work,  l^ngland  is  never  far  off; 
and  the  I'.nglish  admiral  Martin  l)res<Mited  himself  Ixjforo 
Naples  with  a  fleet.      Ho   threatened  to  bombard  the 
city,  if  (Jharl(>s  did  not  bind  himself  to  nMnain  neutral 
and  not  to  assist  his  lather.     The  first  impulse  of  the 
young  King  was  to  refuse  the  unnatural  re(|uest.     Mar- 
tin (lr(!W  his  watch,  and  gave  Charles  one  hour  to  deter- 
mine, wheth(>r  hew()uldyi(.|dto  the  humiliating  demaml 
addressed  to   him,   or  see   his    capital   battered   down. 
Unfortunately,  Naples  was  in  so  def(>nceless  a  state,  that 
no  resistance!  could  be  made ;  and  Charles  had  to  obey 
the  stern  laws  of  necessity.     I  hit  he  never  forgot  the 
insult,  whilst  he  waited  for  better  times.    As  soon  as  the 
Mnglish  disap|M^-ire<l  from  his  sight,  he  devoted  all  the 
means  he  could  command,  to  shelter  himself  against  the 
repetition  of  what  had   so  humbled    his    proud   spirit. 
When  from  tlu^  state  of  tlw^  fortifications  he  had  erected 
and    the   implements  of  <!efencc    he   had  gathered,   he 
thought  he  was  no  longer  e.\por,(«d  to  succumb,  in  his 
own  i)a]ace,  to  the  dictation  of  an  English  officer,  he 


', 

y, 

k 

"* 

H.[ 

^ 

'i 

L' 

1 

f  ; 

i'j 

1 

1 

•  I 
il 


I    ;        Ifj 


i:m 


Mll.l  I  VHV    <  AUi;i;u   <H    niAHI.I 


s  in. 


niiirilicd  at  the  lu-ad  of  |,js  ( 


i( 


liillicr,  <»(■  which  h 


><>|>S     to    join    l||,,H(.  ,,f  I 


IIH 


.|<"n(l>   \Mlh    Jhr  Diikr   of   \Io(| 
Niirccss,  lh»>  <<Miihiii((| 

Hnr|»iis(Ml  ill  V.'llclri   Kv  (Iit>    I 
roil 


«•  HilS  !I|>|)0||||.mI    (oiiun!iii,hT-iii-,hi,.r 


rliii. 


All 


i'V   ,Sl> 


nv  |))ii-liiil 


nii.iiulcd    (he  lii»|M«iijihMls.      Chiirl 


'imiM.s  (.rS|»!iiii  iiiiil  Niiplrs  uriT 

IIIKT    (>r   l^»Mv(>\Vll/.,  who 


CN     WHS    V(MV     lU'ili 


«»«'iM- miKl,.  iMis(.ii,.r:    h.,1    Ih.     S|,„ii,,inlM  .s|Mril,h 
l""«''<l  tlir  chsoni,.,-  iiil..  wlnrh    th(«v  hjMl   Imm 
"■;<'.  '"  "'»"i'-  l"n«s  Hiainva  w  ilh  im|M-lii(»si|y  (h<>  rii.-mirH, 
■"  'i«>  hiul  111)1  known   liow  lo   |M-olif    l»v  (I 


M'CM    Ihrowii, 


JuKanlMM,..      'i'|„,y    ,.,ln,.vr(l    hv  iin.d 


<"uci>  which  hail  I 


Icalrd    III 


icir  inoiiK'iilary 

|»r(»di<iic,M   of  vjilor  (h(» 

MMii  s(.  liital  lo  ihriu.aiHl  the  <h!- 


iipnialiMls,   III    Ihcir 


lliulii, 


Here  holly  |»iiisiinl  |o  ,soiiu«  disi 


<lmiii;,'   which  ihcy 


nice,  aliaiidoiicd 


'"''''■''''''♦'  "iniihcr  <.r  ci )i,s  and    llaos,  |,,   ,hosc  wl 

llicv  ha<l,  on  Ihc  (irsi  oiisci,  d 


a  con  ■ 


toin 


coninsion. 


•ivcr>  away  l»clon>  (hcin  in 


m^'  hdccn  vcais,  lli(>  liuils  ol'  I 


'•I"  liiiM  (ainpainn,  Chailcs    ciiioycd,  di 


n- 


llis 

lh(> 


lal 


iiM    n<H,d   loilMiic  and    ol" 


»«»'-s-      lie  ;4<>v«Miicd  (he    KniMd.Mii    of  Naples  will 
KnidiicsH  and  wisdom  ofn  o,„,d  and  inl 


iinlil  Ihr    lOth   of  AiiiTiisI,  r::)!),  when   I 


'iiccrcd,  on  lli(>  Ihn.n,.  ,,(S 


t'iliii;cril  man, 
»«'iiio-   called    (o 


N  I.,  lie  led  (he    lvili;4(l(»m   ol"   \;,|)l 


pain,  hjs  In-olhei,'   l-'erdinaml 


Ihird 


^oii.     Charles,  li'idinn  I 


|)les    lo    I'Vrdinand,  h 
iiins<<ir  a(    (he    head   of 


P«Mveilnl  ua(ioii,  rememh(>ved  Admiral  INIailin,  and 
tailed  lo  avail  himsidr  ol 


never 


Mnnlish  (hat  I 


•'Very  oj»por(iniilv,  (<»  show   (In 
i«'  lunl  a  teiia<ioiis  meinoiy.       In    |7(i|    |„. 


lonned    will.     Louis     W.   (he    cel,.|,raied   /;,/m7,/ 


pat/ 


,  ^^lllch  onaranlied    the    nfi;hls,  and   oa(lM.rt>d" 


close  union  all  (he   Coi 


<Ts,  of  (he    didereiil    ! 


coin- 
ii|)  in 


the   hons(>    of    |{oiiil„)ii.       M,.  ,|„|    „o(    hesitate    ( 


)ianches  oj" 


lance  in  tli(>  (wo  wars  which  sh(«  Iia«i  ( 


I'ri.iLland.     That  of  iVd'J 


o  join 
<)  wn'^v  a<;ainsl 


w 


allied 


lis  not  la\»)iahle   to    (he    ( 


wo 


powers;   S|»ain  lost    Havana,  (weKe   si 


iijis   ol 


liMc,  immens,>  (reasures,  the  l>liilippiu(^  Islamis,  and 


\\  UH 


i 


iviii.irAUv   rAitr.i'.it  or  riiAKi.i.s  in. 


I. {7 


roiii|»l('l(-ly  loilrd  in  the  <;iin|i!iijjiii  vvliirli  hIic  iill<'iii|)l<'(l 
n^'iiiiisl  l*oilii<riil,  whosr  rcMiHtjincc  wiis  iiiiidc  cllrc'tivt' 
by  (lie  nH,siM(iiii<M«  of  (lie  ICiit^lisli.  ClmrlrM  wiis  ol>li^r,,(| 
(<>  <rivr  up  l''l(tri<lii  in  rxcluinj^r,.  loi-  |M!J|^,(^ 

TIh!  Will-  of  I77H  wiiH  lollowrd  liy  nam)  HJiliMliiclory 
rcsiillH.     'rii(>  I'lcnrh  DiiKr  of  Crillon,  the  coniiniirulc  r 
«>r  (he  (roops  of  his  ( 'iilliolic    Miijcsly,  look    |>o,s,m!S,si(iii 
olMiihoM,  in  I7NI,  und  by  Ihr  Ircily  ol  pciMM-,  IMinoicii. 
Jind  I'loridii  wwv,  u^HUmnl  lo  S|>!iin.     Kclcjiscd  (Voni  \Uv. 
Hlni-jnl,.  uiili  so  poli'iil    iin  rnrniy  ns   iMi-rhind,  ChiirlcM 
JiKcnipIrd  lo  «-|i(«ck  (Ih>  dc|»n'<liilionH  nnd  to  piniisli   tlic 
inso|«>n<'c  oCllic  pinih-s  of  A|(.i,.|-s.     ('(.mil  O'lJcilly  w.is 
iiiliMslcd  wilh  tlir  connniMid   of  tli.-il    iniporlnni  <'\|>cdi- 
lioii.    This   olliccr  had   inihiiiry  (nhnls  and  zeal,  which 
\\r\r   athrnltiMl   even    hy  his   cncniics  ;    hnl    he   was   an 
Irishman   hy  hiilh,  and  Spanish   pride   ill   hrookcd   thai 
tlu'  services  of  a  loreiMiici-  shonlil  he  preferred  lo   llios(' 
of  so  many  worlhy  sons  of  iIk;  land.     The  dealh  oflhe 
Manpiis  of  La  Homana,  who  perishe<l  in  a  skirmish,  in 
which  he   hecame   llie    viclim   (tf  his    lii-ry  imprndenc(!, 
<4a\e  rise  lo  nnroiinded  siis|»i<'i<)iis  an<l  lo  seditions  clam- 
ors.    The  lemper  and  ihe  silnalion  ollhe  army  hecame 
such,  ihalO'lieilly  had  loreemhark  il  with  precipilalion. 
This    e\|iedilion    was    as    lalal   lo    Charles    [II.,   as    a, 
.sinniar    one    had    heeii    lo   Charles   V.     His  only  cr.n- 
solalion  was,  lo  he  aide   lo  say  ihal    he    had    not    heen 
llicre  in  person.     IVohahly,  if  he  had  headed  his  army, 
his  royal  presence  wonid  have  prevenled  the  (hssenHion.s 
niid   j<'alonsi(>s  which  mined  the  e\|)edili(»n. 

This  hriel"  ahslracl  of  ihe  events  wlin-h  mark.'d  the 
mililary  <-areer  of  Charles  III.,  proves  ihal  il  was  nol 
irif^lorions.  lint  this  prince  sliowcid  liimseirsiiJI  oreater 
III  lh«^  civil  adminislralion  of  his  Kinud(,nj.  ||e  carried 
iiilo  r.vecution  wilh  itidoinilahle  perHoveranc<>  the  plans 
of  iiseliil  reforms  which  he  liad  conceived  on  uscendino 


m 
Mir 


■  i 


U 


'  -l-i 


•^WWiiw^ip  nil  iip^ 


138 


ADMIMSTRATION    OF   CHARLES   III. 


the  throno.     His  was  tho  noble  conception  to  revive  the 
cner<r,cs  of  that  ancient  and  once  so  powerful  nation 
and  to  reknulle  the  sacred  light  of  the  arts  and  sciences! 
which  the  Austrian  dynasty  of  the  rnonarchs  of  Spain 
hac  allowed  to  be  extinguished.     His  ambition  was,  to 
be  the  Peter  the  Great  of  his  nation.     JJut  his  first  ope- 
rations  produced  a  feeling  of  di.rontent.  v/hich  soon 
ripened  into  violent  opposition.      :        .  itachmcnt  of  the 
Spanish  people  to  their  usages,  t.       ..r  prejudices,  and 
above  all,  to  their  national  costume,  went,  at  the  time, 
far  beyond   all   that  can  be  imagined  and  described, 
liie  Castihans,  of  all  classes,  were  clad  in  black,  and 
besides,  in  all  seasons,  were  wrapped  in  cloaks  up  to 
their  eyes ;  a  large,  broad  brimmed  hat  was  carried  in 
such  a  way  as  to  complete  the  concealment  of  their 
faces.     1  h.s  mysterious  r-d  gloomy  costume  not  only 
shocked  the  sight  and  awak.  ned  apprehensions,  but  also, 
materially  assisted  felons  in  eluding  the  vigilance  of  the 
police.     In  imitation  of  the  Russian  reformer  who  had 
commanded  his  subjects  to  shave  their  chins,  Charles 
m.   ordered  his   to   lay  aside  their  cloaks   and  hats. 
Not  so  submissive  the  Spaniards  were,  as  the  Muscovite 
serfs.     They  revolted   at   what  thev  thought  to  be  a 
trespass  on  their  rights,  and  an  unwarrantable  interfer- 
ence  with  their  taste  and  comfort.    The  Walloii  .r„ards 
who  were  on  duty  at  the  royal  palace,  were  slaughtered 
by  the  poi)ulace  ;  but  they  had  made  so  obstinate  a,  re- 
sistance,  that  they  had  given  time  to  the  King  to  fly  to 
Araiijuez,  where  he  collected  fresh  troops.    This  cloak 
and  hat  insurrection  produced  a  ministerial  change  ;  the 
Count  of  Aranda  was  appointed  President  of  thc^Coun- 
cil  of  Castile,  and  reestablish.d  good  order  ;    th(>  favor- 
ite nim.ster  of  Charles,  the  Marquis  of  Squilace,  an 
Italian  by  birth,  was  dismissed,  as  being  odious  to  the 
populace  and  to  the  nobility,  and  a  sort  of  compromise 


;  I- 

Ml 


ADMINISTRATION   OF   CHARLES   III. 


139 


mi; 


took  phicc  between  the  King  and  liis  people  as  to  the 
liats  and  cloaks.  To  gratify  their  Sovereign,  the  people 
gave  up  their  broad  brimmed  hats  ;  but  in  return,  to 
p  ease  his  loyal  subjects,  the  King  had  to  tolerate  the 
cloaks,  i)rovided  they  should  be  somewhat  curtailed  in 
their  length  and  width.  On  the  fliith  of  these  transac- 
tions, good  harmony  was  restored,  and  the  royal  parent 
and  his  children  were  as  loving  as  ever. 

Many  arc  the  useful  establishments  and  the  public 
monuments  which,  at  the  present  day,  are  to  be  traced 
up  to   the  reign  of  Charles  III.     the   high  roads  in 
bpain,  the  Custom  House,  and  the  Post  Office  building 
in  Madrid,  the  works  which  have  embellished  that  capi- 
tal^ind  secured  the  health  of  its  inhabitants,  the  Cabinet 
of  Natural  History,  the  IJotanical  Carden,  the  Academies 
of  Painting  and  Drawing,  the  canal  of  Tudela,  that  of 
Madrid,  abandoned  since  his  death,  and  many  other  im- 
provements,  either  originated  with,  or  were  perfected  by 
him.     He  loved  an  upright  and  enlightened  administra- 
tion of  justice,  and  he  selected,  with  rare  discrimination, 
his  magistrates  and  public  functionaries  among  tlie  most 
Viituous  and  learned  citizens.      From  those  whom  he 
once  tried  and  found  honest  and  capable,  he  never  with- 
drew his  confidence  on  any  insidious  delation  or  un- 
founded and  vague  accusations.     The  Counts  of  Flori- 
da Blanca  and  of  Campomanes  were  raised  to  the  first 
offices  of  the  Kingdom  from  a  state  of  obscurity ;  and, 
although  they  were  rivals  and  hostile  to  each  other,  they 
both  enjoyed,  at  the  same  time,  the  esteem  of  their  So- 
vereign, who  did  not  allow  himself  to  be  prejudiced  Im- 
one  against  the  other.     Charles  had  the  good  sense  of 
employing  these  two  men,  each  in  the  department  to 
which  he  was  suited,  and  never  permitted  himself  to  be 
influenced  by  their  passions.     It  is  by  such  means  that 
this  prince  succeeded  in  roushig  Spain  from  the  lethargy 


It': 


il:i 


f'ill 


;f-f 


i 


f      I 


HO 


ADMIMSTIIATION    OF    <-|IAUI.i:S    III. 


x'cn  s( 


in  uliicli  slic  l>;i(i    I 

IN.      Ccrliiiiily,    iiothiii^r   hut    ll 

(IcSj.OfM-   S()V(Mvio„,  ,.,,„I,|   |,„v,,  .sti,.,.,.,|     i„to    .„.( 


)  loiinr  pl„nu,v,l,  HiiKM^  IMiilip 
<'nrr<r,.(i,.    ^viii  „|-  ,, 


lion  hciiiiinlxd  in  ilsriicnh 


ion  :i  na- 


and  cliillcd    inio   |)(>t,ri(i.<-,(i()n.      Ohsiiu-lrs  of  ,,ll 
woro  to  l,,>  (•„n<iii,>iv(l,  mid  Climlcs  did  not  slnink  ( 
tlKi  inif)l(>a.siiiif   \i\H\i.     We   Iijiv<^  of  | 


ics,  conccnfralcd  nilliin  ilHidf 


.sorts 
roni 


iini  soiiui   sayimr.s 


wliich  <l(-scril)(«  |),.rH«clly  fli,.  situation  of  Spain,  tl 


jUStlC 


('  <)l 


|)nl)l 


lir  in- 


inoiiarrli 
I 


'«'  o|)mion,  and  tin;  tinii  of  mind  <d"  that 


My 


who  crv  nlicn   cIcNinscd 


il)|<M-fs,"   said    he,  "aiT  like   c^lnhhvn 


W 


ovo  alDiir,  a 


u-ncvcr  he   lu-ard   of 


UHO.d  t 


pohfical  intrioii(>,  or  a  family  (|narr<'l,  ho 
oask:  "What  monk   is   tJKMV   at  the   hoiioin  of 

iM<r('rH  and  falinncs  ho 


l!"'     \\v  lik(>d  to  spoak  of  the  d 


li:i(l  nnd 

fln'  rccojloction  of  the   least 


•  i^^ono  Ml  war,  and  ulways  trcasinrdnp  faithfidlv 


rondcrcd  him.    'IM 


service  wliich   had    heeri 


tiiiiriii 


when  ('hark 
the  ( 


le  corps  of  royal  Carahiiieers  had  d 
l'<"d  itself  in  the  campai^riis  of  Italy.    M  Vdlet 


is- 
ri. 


s  was 


(hat 


in   dano(>r  of  hein^j;  inad<;  prisoner, 
anihmeers  saved  him.      Years   had   ela|)sed   ,siiic,(! 

ill",  pro- 
economical  reforms  in 


<'veiil,  when,  oii(>  day,  the   Minister  of  VV 


|)osm<r  to  him  retrenclmients  and 


lis  military  hoiisehoM,  summoned  up  all   jiis   elo(|n(>nco 
•"'''''"'•'  <'">!  <li<'  corps  of  Carahineers  had 


to  d 


eiiK 


cions  organisation,  and  was  inor<>  oikm-ous   (I 

Charles  seemed  not  to  have  h(>ard  his  remarks,  ^md 


<'l  VI- 


i!in   nseliii. 


no   answer.      The   Minist 


ave 


er   renewed    his  attacks,  and 


spoke  with  more  d(HMsion  and  pc^rtinacily.  'I'ho  Kincr 
who,  all  (li(.  uhil,>,  was  hroodinu  oy,.,-  |,*is  an^r,.,-,  thun" 
dcivd  out,  "If  any  one  dares  a<raiii   speak  a^JSiiiist  my 


Carahiiie(>rs,  I  will  have  him  I 


In  17')!),  when  he  tool 


mill'-. 


k   poss(>ssion   of  the  throne  of 


oin 


Spam,  h(>  wassiirpris(>d  to  s(>e  a  <,^rande(>  of  tlu>  kin«rd 
prescMitiiiiT  himself  to  perforin  (he  functions  of  (Ireal 
Chamherhiin,  which  a  gentleman  of  the  luime  of  J.osadu 


*kw'i- 


1*1 


HIS    DIlATIf. 


HI 


Itl 


liad  Ih'(>m  arciislomcd  lo  (lisrlmiac  ncnr  liis  person,  for 
m.-my  y«;.rM  (.iisl.     "  WUvn-.  is  LosjuIj.  r  cried  o„t,  tl,,, 
Kin^'  iiiipiiliciidy.     TIh!  wiiswcr  wiis  :  "  Sire,  l.osadii  is 
n«l  ii  {Tvntulvv  ()fS|)jiiti.     Tlio  cliiiiicllc^  oftiK!  <(.url  n;- 
«|iiircs  (lia(  lie  who  Imsllir  honor  o(s<'rviii<r  y„i,r  M!.i<'sly 
Jis  (;rc!i(  ChnnilxTliiin,  bo   invcstrd  wilh  ihat  diirnily  " 
"  Well,"  said  th<;  Kin^r,  "  [  niako  Losada  a  Dnko.     Let 
l"ni  conic,  and  }rnv,  „„,  .^y  ,^|,ir|."     |,,,  |,,„,^  i|„„„^rh  the 
henevol(M»(('  of  his  natinv,  n-tained  ahnost  ail  \hv,  ser- 
vanls  of  his  predee.-ssor,  and,  an.on^  others,  a,  vah;!  of 
Ihe  royal  chand)er,  who  eonlinned  to  wail  on  him  for 
seventeen  years.     One  day,  tlx^  Kin- jn-ard  of  his  death. 
"God   Mess  his  s<.nl,"said  he,  "  (or  an  honest  man  he 
was;  alflionj^rh,  sinee  the  first  tinn;  I  saw   him  at  Har- 
celoiia,  I  never  could  hear  him."     Charles  was  the  most 
methodical   man  of  his   kiiijr,|„ni,  and  could,  i.,  his  nc- 
tions,  have  clial|en<r,H|  t|i,>  re^r„|j„.ity  „f  ,^  ^^]^,^,\.^     i,',.()m 
llu;  1st  olMannary  to  the;  :nst  ofDecem'  .-r,  the  precise 
hour  Ihr  (ivery  occn|)ation   and  (;very  pleasure;  was  set 
down  and  minntely  ohscTved.     Years  in  advance,  every 
Spaniard  knew  when  tin.  Kin-  would   go  to  IxmI,  wIkui 
he   would   le;iv(>  it,  mid  the;  exact  day  when  he  would 
midertaki!  a   particniar  journey.     Me  was  a,  sort  of  al- 
manac in  (lesh  and  Mood,  indicating  the  rising  and  set- 
ting of  th(!  snn.     Chark-s  was  c(>rtainly  not  g'ifted  with 
the  brilliant  (|nalilies  of  a  hero,  hnt  possessed  a  sonnd 
jndgni<>nt,  a  wise  firmness  of  miiul,  an  excijMent  nnder- 
standing,  and  above  all,  those;  (|iialilications  which  con- 
stitute   a  good  and   ns(>fnl  man.      The;  Spaniards  still 
cherish  the  iiKMnory  of  his   paternal  administration  and 
of  his  private  virtm-s.     lie  di(>(l  in   Madrid,  on  tin;  lHh 
of  I)ec(Mnb(T,  1788,  at  the  ag(^  of  seventy-two,  not  v  ith- 
onf  having  lor(>se(;n  the  storms  which  threahMied  Europe 
and   given   judieions  advice;   to   his   successor.      When 
King  of  Naples,  he  had  cioate^l  the  deconilion  of  the 


■i! 


!■: 


, ) ' 


.  If 


'  i! 


1  ^  I 


!   Ill 
ft 


142 


CAREER  OF  AXTOMO  DE  ULLOA. 


order  of  St   Janvier,  and  when  Kin^r  of  Spain,  that  of 
tlie  Iininacidate  Conception  or  Charles  JIJ. 

Such  was  the  prince  into  whose  hands  Lonisiana  was 

to  pass.        o  certainly  paid  her  a  ^n-eat  con.phrnent,  an.l 

gave  her  the  measure  of  his  rega^i,  by  the  selection 

which  he  .nade  of  her  first  governor,     ll  coul.l  harl 

have  «ent  her  a  more  distinguished  character  than  Don 

Antonio  de  Uloa,  who  had  made  himself  illustrious  in 

the  republic  of  letters,  and  who  was  one  of  the  brightest 

ornaments  ot  Spain  in  the  eighteenth  century,  by  his 

scent.hc  labors  and  travels,  and  by  his  long  ami  useful 

services  as  a  naval  officer  and  an  administrator. 

Anton.o  de  Ulloa*  was  born  in  Seville,  on  the  12tJ, 
of  anuary,  171«.  His  family  was  already  distin^nished 
in  the  mantmie  annals  of  the  conntry,  and  took  care  to 
h  h„n  for  their  hereditary  career,  by  making  him  go 
n-ou.h  the  best  course  of  studies.  He  entered  the 
nav3^  as  a  midshipman,  in  n:}.3,  and  he  soon  acqnired  a 

Sv  TI  ;  r'"''""^"'  <•'«  l-Pos  of  his  friends  and 
amil>  Ihe-  first  comnnssion  with  which  he  was  in- 
rusted,  was  to  join  the  learned  expedition  concerted 
between  the  governments  of  Spain  and  France,  to  mea- 
sure an  arc  of  the  meridian  at  the  equcaor,  which  was 
an  operation  desired  by  the  Academy  of  Sciences  of 
lans,  in  order  to  determine  the  confi^r„ration  of  the 
car  .,  and  which  was  to  be  executed  by^three  members 
of  that  body,  IJouguer,  I.a  Coiidamine,  and  (;odin. 

It  being  thought  that  the  province  of  Quito  in  Peru 
oliered  the  equatorial  station  most  favorable  to  that 
enterprise,  which  would  be  a  long  and  a  laborious  one, 
It  had  been  found  necessary  to  apply  to  the  Spanish 
govermnent  to  obtain  leave  for  foreigners  to  penetrate 
into  tha.  rich  country,  as  the  pioneers  of  science.    Spain 

*  Biograi.hie  Universclle  Je  Michaud, 


ft  ill' 


CAREER   OF   ANTONIO    DE    ULLOA.  143 

luul  always  jealously  guard,.,]  hor  provinces  of  America 
u^ra.n.st  loreign  intrusion,  an,l  against  the  investigations 
of  cunosity.      Jut  the  friendship  which  th,..  unit,.d  the 
two  courts,  and  a  generous  enu.lati„u  in  fivor  of  science' 
prcvaded  ,m  every  other  consideration.     It  was  deci,le,; 
•at   wo  ofhcers  ,>i  the  royal  navy,  capable  of  assisting 
the  Lrench  academicians  in  their  labors,  should  be  s,>nt 
with  them  or  their  protection,  and  to  reomn.end  them 
to    he  local  authorities,  as  well  as  to  share,  in  the  name 
of  their  country,  in  the  honor  of  that  important  opera- 
tion      IheKingh^ft  the  choice  of  the  two  officers  to 
he  Roya   Aca,lemy  of  Midshipmen,  an,l  the  young  An- 
tomo  de  Ul loa,  who  was  hardly  nineteen  years  ol,!^  was 
selected  with  aimther  officer,  named  George  Juan,  who 
■    had  acjuired  celebrity  as  a  mathematician.     lioth  wor- 
hdy  executed  their  commissi  .„,  work,.d  together  with 
he  greatest  harmony,  and  kept   themselves  free  from 
those  bickerings  an,i  ,,uarrels,  which  occurred  amona 
lH3ir  r  rench  associates.     On  their  return,  thirteen  years 
after  the.r  ,l,.parture,  an,I  one  year  before  the  academi- 
Clans  of  Pans,  they  published  the  results  of  that  great 
expcdit.,,,.       (.eorge  Juan,  having  more  specially  re- 
served  to  lumself  the  digesting  and  editing  of  tlie  creo- 
metrical,  physical  an,l  astronomical  observations,  ntadc 
cith,>r  in  common,  or  by  each  of  them  separat,.|y,  pub- 
.she,   m  1718,  at  the  cost  of  the   Spanish  government 
lnsv,>lume  of  ''Observations,"  &c.  Madrid,  m  .Ito.;  an d 
a  few  months  after,  Ulloa  published  also  at  the  cost  of 
Uie  Kmg,  the  "  Historical  relation  of  a  voyage  made  to 
South  Anierica,  by  order  of  the  King,  to  measure  some 
degrees  of  the  meridian,  and  ascertain  the  true  coufi.^ 
ration  and  size  of  the  f-ivtl,   «-wi.    r  "*^^'>'in„u- 

ind  Ml.v«i,.  11  <aith,  With  divers  astronomical 

and  physical  observations,"  &c.     Madrid,  17-18 

DcM^arting  with  the  grade  of  lieutenant  of  a  ship  of 
the  hue,  on  two  vessels  of  war,  one  of  which  transposed 


1,: 

u 


*.  rM; 


'     ]': 


Ill 


;! 

tl: 


144 


CAREER   OF   ANTONIO   DE    VLLOA. 


to  Ciirtliii<;eiui  the  new  Viceroy  of  Peru,  lliey  awaited, 
tlmin^f  live  months,  in  that  city,  the  arrival  of  the  Trench 
sloop,  which,  at  last,  hroujfht  Hoiit^uer,  \/,i  Condaniine, 
and  (iodiii.    This  lon^  detention  enahled  them  to  make 
numerous  ohsorvations  on  tlu;  natural  history,  th(>  sta- 
tistics of  the  country,  and  the  numners  of  its  inhahit- 
ants,  which  are  fully  set  forth  in  the  relation  of  Ulloa, 
who   showed  himself  |)osscssed  of  an  ol)scrvin<r,  logi- 
cal, and  judicious  mind.     The  mend)ers  of  the  expedi- 
tion, havinj^  thus  been  broujiht  toj^ether,  departed  with 
a  rich  supply  of  mathematical  instruments,  und  repaired 
to  Quito   by  the    way  of  Porto   IJello,    Panama,  and 
(iuayacjuil.     From   the  b(><finnin<f  of  their  tri<(onome- 
trical  labors,  in  June,  ITiW,  to  their  com|)letion,  Ulloa 
never  ceased  contributing  to  them,  with  a  zeal  which 
elicited  the  praises  of  his  colleagues;  he  participated  in 
all  the  operations  of  Bouguer  and  La  Condamine,  whilst 
(Jcorge  Juan  and  Godin  were  engaged,  on  their  side,  in 
making  separate  calculations  and  pursuing  a  series  of 
triangles.     The  geometrical  measurements  were  com- 
pleted, only  after  the  laj)se  of  four  years,  during  which 
these  distinguished  men,  willing  to  be  the  miiityrs  of 
science,   were   exposed  to    innumerable   fatigues    and 
perils,  either  by  their  long  sojourning  on  snow-covered 
mountains,  amidst  dangerous    precipices,  or  by  their 
suddenly  jjassing  from  those  frozen  regions  to  the  burn- 
ing temperature  of  the  plains,  or  finally  by  their  running 
foul  of  the  ignorance  or  prejudices  of  the  inhabitants  of 
those  regions,  which  came  very  near  being  fatal  to  the 
expedition,  in  1TA9.     Ulloa  describes,  in  the  most  in- 
teresting manner,  and  with  touching  simplicity,  all  the 
sufferings  which  he  and  his  companions  liad  to  endure. 
What  is  characteristic,  is  the  indiflerence  he  shows  in 
recording  all  that  occurred  to  himself,  and  he  almost 
omits  to  mention  a  very  serious  illness  Avhich  brouirht 


'j!| 


EARLY    CARKKK    OF    AN TO.NK)    1>E    ri.LOA.  1  15 

liini  to  the  vory  vor^o  oftl.o  <rrav(>,  in  ono  of  ilio  inoiin- 
tainouH  rc^r.oiis  of  thut  co.uilry.     II,.  illn.strutoH  the  prc- 
JiKl.ccs  ol  tl.c  natives  by  s,,voraI   liumcrous  anecdotes, 
and,  anion^r  otiiers,  that  of  an  Indian  wl.o,  takin.r  these 
I«Nirned  men  for  inajrieians,   fell  on   his    knees  before 
them,  and  supphcated  Iheni   fo  reveid  to  hiniwho  had 
stolen   his  ass.     Towards  the  end  „fSeptemher,   1710 
wlien  they  were  niakin^^  astronon.ieal   observations,  at 
one  o(  the  extremities  of  the  arc  «»f  the  meridian  which 
had  be(!n  measured,  an  order  of  the  Viceroy  of  Peru 
obh<,red  the   two  Spanisli  oflicers  to  proceed  su(hh>nly 
to  Lnr.!..     War  had  just  broken  out  between  Kn.r|i,nd 
and  Spam,  and  Vice-Admiral  Anson  was  thrcatenin7r  tlie 
coasts  of  the  Spanish  possessions.     Ulloa    and   Juan 
were  mtrusted  witli  the  care  of  putting  in  a  state  of 
dehiuce  the  sea-coast  in  the  latitude  of  Lima  and  Cal- 
iao.     Wh(!n  this  was  cx(>cut(>d,  th(>y  w(.r(;  f)ermittcd  to 
return  to  Quito,  and  resume  their  scientitic  labors.     But 
soon  after  they  had  reached  th(>ir  destination,  th(iy  were 
called  to  Cuaymiuil.     The    sacking   of  Payta  by  the 
English  IhM't  had  scattered  terror  far  and  wide.     It  is 
iuipossible  to  form  an  adequate  idea  of  the    fatigues 
attending  their  goings  forward  and  backward,  without 
knowing  fully  the  difliculty  of  travelling  through  the 
mountains  of  Peru.     In   every  trying  circumstance  in 
which  they  w(>r(;  placed,  and  what(!ver  were   the   ob- 
stacles they  had  to  overcome,  Ulloa  and  .Tuau  discharged 
tiieir  duties  with  a  zeal  and  fortitude  which  caimot^'be 
too  highly  ai)preciated. 

When  they  had  provided  for  the  safety  of  Guayaquil, 
only  one  of  them  was  permitted  to  (k^part,  and  it  was 
Ulloa  who,  although  the  season  was  extremely  unliivor- 
able  to  travelling,  hastened  back  through  every  fatigue 
and  danger  to  Quito.  On  entering  that  city,  he  met^'an 
order  to  return  in  all  haste  to  Lima,  whither  he  went 

10' 


'>  ,<  ' 


PI  [ 


i  i 


..^iitji 

i:VllLY    CAREER    OF    ANTONIO    DE    ULLOA. 


witii  Juan,  avIio  joined  liini  on  the  way.  There  they 
took  the  command  of  two  fVijratcs,  to  cruise  on  the 
coasts  of  Chili  and  of  the  island  of  Juan  Fernandez. 
Fortunately,  on  the  arrival  of  reinforcements,  Ulloa  and 
George  Juan  were  permitted  to  resume  their  scientific 
mission  at  Quito,  where,  of  all  the  French  academicians, 
they  Ibiuid  only  Godin,  with  whom  they  observed  the 
comet  of  1714.  At  last,  imj)atient  for  a  return  to 
Europe  with  the  fruits  of  tluur  labors,  they  embarked  at 
Callao,  each  in  one  of  two  French  ships,  which  were  to 
go  round  Cape  Horn  on  their  way  to  Brest.  These 
ships  were  s(>[)arated  in  a  stress  of  weather ;  and  the 
one  on  which  Ulloa  was,  overtook  two  French  ships, 
with  which  she  was  navigating  in  concert,  when  they 
were  attacked  by  English  privateers,  mud  superior  to 
them  in  force.  After  very  hard  fighting,  the  two  vessels, 
which  had  on  board  three  millions  of  dollars,  were 
captured,  and  UUoa's  ship  escaped  with  difliculty.  To 
avoid  new  dangers,  it  was  thought  necessary  to  proceed 
in  a  totally  diticrent  direction,  and  the  ship  sailed 
towards  North  America.  When  she  entered  Louis- 
bourg,  at  Cape  Breton,  all  on  board  congratulated  them- 
selves on  having  escaped  from  so  many  dangers  ;  but 
this  feeling  of  exultation  was  not  of  long  duration,  and 
they  were  obliged  to  surnMidcr  to  the  English,  who  had 
just  taken  that  town,  and  who  had  designedly  ke[)t 
hoisted  uj)  the  French  flag  as  a  decoy.  A  prisoner  of 
war,  Ulloa  was  transported  to  England,  where  he  was 
treated  with  nmcli  consideration.  It  is  the  |)rivile<fe  of 
the  votary  of  science  who  has  ac(piired  celebrity,  to 
excite  universal  sympathy.  Kindred  spirits  he  meets 
everywhere,  who  are  linked  to  him  by  the  freemasonry 
of  learning.  So  it  was  with  Ulloa,  in  whose  favor  many 
distinguished  personages  interested  themselves,  and, 
among   others,   the   celebrated  Vice-President  of  the 


^lilnli 


F-AllLY    CAREER    OF   ANTOMO    DE    ULLOA.  147 

Royal  Society  of  London,  Martin  Folkcs.  Through 
ilicir  protection,  he  soon  recovered  liis  liberty  and 
papers.  Martin  Folkes  presented  him  to  his  colleagues, 
and  had  him  elected  a  member  of  the  Society. 

Ridding  adieu  to  his  English  friends,  he  embarked  for 
Lisbon,  whence  he  proceedcxl  to  Madrid,  where  he  ar- 
rived in  1716,  at  the  commencement  of  the  reign  of 
Ferdinand  VL     lie  met  with  the  most  flattering  recep- 
tion, mid  was  made  the  Captain  of  a  frigate''  and   a 
commander  in  the  order  of  St.  .Tames.     To  the  relations 
of  his  voyage  to,  and  observations  in,  South  America, 
he  joined  an  historical  summary  of  the  Peruvian  mon- 
archs,  from  Manco  Capac,  the  first  of  them,  to  the  latest 
kings  of  Spain  and  of  the  Indies.     Shortly  after,  Ulloa 
travelled  through  a  considerable  part  of  Europe,   by 
order  of  the  King,  and  the  information  he  gathered  in 
his  travels  was  happily  applied  to  the  service  of  the 
State  and  to  the  benefit  of  the  nation. 

During  the  remainder  of  his  acti\e  career,  Ulloa  en- 
deavored to  conciliate  his  taste  for  study  with  the 
numerous  commissions  with  which  he  was  intrusted  in 
the  Naval  department,  and  later,  in  the  department  of  the 
Interior,  where  his  learning  was  taxed  for  the  improve- 
ment of  the  domestic  industry  of  the  nation.  The 
superintendence  of  the  quicksilver  mine  of  Guancavehca, 
in  Peru,  was  his  reward;  but  the  products  of  that  mine 
had  been  greatly  curtailed  by  the  avarice  and  embezzle- 
ments of  those  who  had  the  privilege  of  working  it. 
Ulloa  !iad  the  daring  to  denounce  the  depredatiorrs  of 
some  nien  in  power,  and  the  conseijucnce  was  that  he 
lost  his  place. 

When  Charles  the  Third  ascended  the  throne,  his  able 
ministers,  who  showed  great  discriminating  zeal  and 
patriotism  in  bringing  out  all  the  native  talents  which 
Spain  possessed,  raised  Ulloa  to  the  grade  of  Corn- 


si    '  !, 


148 


KARLY    CAllEKR   OF   ANTONIO    DH    ULLOA. 


-»  « 


modoro,  niul  gave  hun  the  coniniand  of  tlie  fleet  of  the 
IndioH.  When,  hy  the  treaty  of  peace  of  1702,  Loiii- 
siaiiJi  was  ceded  to  Spain,  Ulloa  wi.s  appointed  to  take 
possession  of  th;it  province,  to  govern  it,  and  to  organ- 
ize, on  a  proj)er  footing  adai)ted  to  th(!  wants  of  the 
country,  the  (HU'erent  branches  of  the  Spanish  a(hninis- 
tration.  Tiiis  was  a  diflicuh  task,  and  one  recpiiring 
hoth  the  knowledge?  of  the  Avorld  and  th<!  learned  wisdom 
of  the  closet.  I'lloa  arrived  at  New  Orh^ans,  as  wo 
have  seen,  on  the  r)tli  of  March,  1 7(10,  and  we  shall 
soon  have  to  relate  the  events  which  preceded  and  fol- 
lowed his  (>,\pulsion  from  that  province. 

In  the  intervals  of  his  canipaigns  at  sea,  Ulloa  used 
to  correspond  with  nil  the  men  who  had  acquired 
celebrity  by  their  learning,  and  Avas  elected  on(^  of  the 
associate  members  of  the  academies  of  Stockholm  and 
IJerlin.  Since  1748,  he  had  been  oiu\  of  the  regular 
correspond(>nts  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences  of  Paris. 
In  1772,  he  published  in  Madrid,  in  I  vol.  in  4to,,  a  col- 
lection of  observations  under  this  title:  "Noticias  Ame- 
ricanas,  entretenimientos  physico  historicos  sobre  la 
America  Meridional,  y  la  Septentrional  Oriental."  In 
this  work,  he  revicnvs  the  soil,  the  climatie,  the  vem'tabl<>. 
aiumal,  and  mmeral  productions  of  those  vast  countriijs. 
llisdistiuisitions  on  marine  pc  trifactions,  on  th(>  Indians, 
their  manners,  usages,  anti((uities,  languages,  and  their 
probable  origin,  are  full  of  interest,  although  sonn;  of 
his  hypothetical  remarks  will  hardly  be  sanctioned  by 
the  sobriety  of  logical  deductions.  In  177;},  he  pre- 
sented to  the  Spanish  ministry  another  valuabh;  work 
on  the  naval  forces  of  Europe  and  Africa.  In  I77S,  he 
published,  at  Cadix,  his  observations  at  sea  of  the 
eclipse  of  the  sun  which  took  place  in  that  y(!ar.  They 
made  known  a  singular  fact,  which,  for  some  time,  en- 
gaged the  attention  of  all  the  astronomers.     The  author 


i:arly  ( /vhefr  of  antonio  dk  tjixoa. 


M9 


assuros  havinjr  scon,  for  one  minulo,  (liirinjr  tli(.  oclipso 
of  tho  sun,  and  to  liav(!  caused  to  be  .sc(^n  hy  several 
other  persons,  a  brilliant  spot  on  the  moon,  which  he 
considers  to  be  a  real  hole  thron;,rh  that  planet.  "  Ac- 
cor(lin;,r  to  my  calculations,"  said  the  celebrated  astro- 
nonuir,  i.alande,  "  that  hole  ou<rj,t  to  Ix^  forty-five  fniles 
in  depth,  and  three  hundnxl  and  tAvcnity-seven  in  len<rth. 
Hut  it  cannot  be  looked  upon  as  a  volcano."  In  "the 
jud«rment  of  the  same  I.ahinde,  Antonio  de  Ulloa  was 
one  of  the  greatest  [)roinoters  of  astronomy  in  S|)ain, 
and  it.  was  particularly  throu^di  his  exertions  that  the 
observatory  of  Cadix  was  constructed.  TWih  brief  sketch 
is  sulHcient  to  show  what  high  grade  Ulloa  had  attained 
in  the  hierarchy  of  the  princes  of  science. 

Hut  Ulloa,  although  possessing  in  the  most  eminent 
degree  the  theory  of  navigation,  did  not  rise  above  me- 
diocrity in   its  practical  application.     Flo,  at  difVer.mt 
times,  commanded  fleets  without  flattering  results  to  his 
fame.     lie  had  reacluul,  however,  the  grade  of  Lieu- 
tenant (General  of  thf>  royal  nnvies  of  Spain,  when  ho 
was  or(l(n-ed,  in  177<),  to  cruise;   in   the;   latitude   of  the 
Azorc   islands,  to  capture  eight  ICnglish  vessels  belong- 
ing to  tin;  IiKha  Com[)any,  and  n^tiirning  loaded  with  the 
wealth  of  Asia.     He  was  next  to  proceed  to  I  Favana, 
where  Ik;  was  to  be  f)rovid(>d  with  additional  forces,  to 
iittack  the  |)rovinces  of  l<'lorida.     His  orders  were  to 
break  the  seal  of  his  lettc^rs  of  instructions  only  in  a 
certain  latitude  ;   but    Ulloa,  absorbed    in   astronomical 
observations,  or  some   deep   study,  forgot  to  open  his 
letters  of  instructions  in  time,  and  returned  at  the  ex- 
fnration  of  two  months,  after  a  useless  cruise.     He  was 
accused  of  having  allowed  the  eight   l^nglish  ships  to 
pass  without  noticing  them,  and  Of  havrng  suffered  a 
Spanish  frigate  and  a  merchant  ship  from  Manilla  to  be 
captured  within  sight  of  his  own  fleet,  without  intcrfer- 


""lip 

i 

111 ': 

) 

- 

)( 


I 

f  i. 


:, 


l-i 


I)   if 


f  li  f 


II! 


150 


m<r. 


<'iiAu\rTi;ii  or  a\tomo  de  iilloa. 


'rii(>s('  w(M-('  gnivc  fjccusationK,  wliicli  cjuiHod  his 
hfiiifr  aiT(>sl(>(|   niid   hrouglit,   in    1780,   Ix-foro   u  court 
iiiiiitial,  which,  it  must  hv  aaid,  was  convciuid  at  liis  own 
rociiicst.     I'jthcr  bcc^iiuHo  the  acc'iiHalion  was  not  proved, 
or  lu'causo  his  su|)(Tior  merit  and  the  eminent  services 
he  had  ren(U>r("d  to  his  connlry,  (hsposcid  his  judt^^es  to 
he  in(hil<rcnl   for  a   I'aidt  whieh  had  resnhcd  from  mere 
absence  of  mind— of  a  mind  abstracted  in  th(^  pnrsnit  of 
seienec, — he  mjis  lionorably  ae<iuitt,(>d,  and  retained  his 
gra(h>,  titles,   and   di  coratioi.s.     Hut   ho  ceased   to  b(^ 
emjiloyed  at  sea;   he   serv<Ml  only  as  the  (^onnnander  of 
maritime   departments,   and   was    (hrector    jironeral    by 
interim  ofthi!  naval  armies  of  Si)ain.     In  this  eapacity, 
he  was  intrusted  with  the  examination  of  the  stu(h'nts  at 
the  school  of  mariiu^  artillery  ofC'adix.     lllloa  Ix'canie 
also  minister  of  tlu^  .Imita  (General  ofC'onnnerce  and  of 
the  INIinl,  and  died  in   the  island  of  Leon,  on  the  .'M  of 
July,  IT!)."),  at   the  advanc(>d  a»i;e  orei()fhty.     'J'ownsend 
the    I'jii'lish  travell(>r,   who   had   visited   liim  in  Cadix, 
eijvht  years  bel'ore,  has  h'ft  of  him  the  lollowinir  portrait: 
"The  Spaniard    wjiose   conversation    interested    mc 
most,  was  Don  Antonio  <!(>  Ulloa.    I  foimd  in  him  a  true 
philosopher,*  lull   of  wit   and  learning-,  sprightly  in  his 
conversation,  free  and  easy  in  his  manners.     He  is  of  a 
small  si/e,  (wtrcMiU'ly  thin,  and  bendin*;  under  the  weioht 
ofyears  ;  h(>  was  dressed  like  a  farmer,  and  surrounded 
by  iiis  numerous  childriMi,  the  youngest  of  whom,  two 
years  old,  was  |)layin;L?  on  his  knees.  In   the  room  where 
he  uscmI  to  receive  jiis  visitors  there  coidd  be  S(hmi,  lyino 
confusedly     scattered,    chairs,    tabh's,    trunks,    boxes^, 
books,  papers,  a   b(>dsti^ad,  a  j)rintin«);  |>ress,  nmbnjllas, 
articles   of  dothino;,    carp.Miler's    tools,    mathematical 
instruuHMits,  ;.  baronu'tcM-,  a    clock,  wcaiums,  paintin<rs, 
mirrors,  fossils,  minerals,  shells,  a  kettle,  basins,  broken 

*  111  the  iiLsoiici-  of  tlio  oii-iiuil,  (his  is  a  ru'-tnuwlutioii,  from  u  FroncL  tmiwIiitioiL 


ilii 


CIIAE/VCTICR   OF    ANTONIO    I)i:    ULLOA. 


151 


pitchers,  Anuiricnii  !inti(|uiticH,  Milvcr  in<r()ts,  and  a 
ciiriouH  miiiiimy  of  llio  Cariiiry  iHlaiids."  This  at  onco 
givcH  a  k(!y  to  Illloa's  (;liiira(;t(!r.  TTis  hvuri  must 
have  l)ocn  as  ainiahic  as  his  licad  was  profouiidly 
learned. 

It  is  not  sol(>ly  by  servictis  rcn(h>red   to   tlie   stat(3, 
and  by  his  superior  aeciiiirements  in  the  higliest  depart- 
!n(!nta  of  seienc(>,  thiit  I'lloji,  has  left  a  nanio  deservedly 
honored  in  his  country.    S|)ain  owes  to  hiiu  the  creation 
of  tJKi  first  cabinet  of  niitin-al  history,  jind  the  first  labor- 
atory of  metidlnr<,ry    it    possessed  ;    the   conception  of 
the  canal  of   Old  C'aslile,  for  navi^^ation  and  irri<>ation, 
<;onunenced  under  Charles  JJI.  and  abandoned  after  the 
death  of  that  monarch;  the  knowlc(l^r<,  of  j)laiiiia  and 
its  pro[)erties;  of  electricity  and  artificial  ma<rnetism. 
It  is  he  who  |)erfected  th(!  art  of  en<rravin<r  and  printin<r 
in  Spain  ;  who  direct(!<l  the  Spanish  <,reograpli(!rs  of  the 
time  in  the  composition  of  a  correct  jtiap  of  tlu;  Peiiin- 
•^ula,   who    mad(!   known   the   advantafi;cs   of  the   wool 
called    rlmr/d,  which  r(^s(>m.bles  that  of  ('anterbury   in 
ICngland  ;  and  the  secret  of maHiifictmintf  superfin<;  cloth 
by  raixinjr  this  wool  with  ihv.  merino  wool,     lu  order 
to  demonstrate  the  a(lvanta<res  of  his  discovery,  he  (!sta- 
blished  at  Seoovia,  with  tlu;  authorization  and  on  the 
account  of  tlar  kinn-,  .-i  manufactory,  out  of  which  camo 
cloths  as  sup(!rhne  as  any  ol'  those  pro(lu(;ed  in  foreifTii 
countries.   l"'inally,  it  was  on  his  earnc-st  representations 
thatyomifT  ukmi  w(>r(>  sent  to  dillerent  parts  of  ICurojJC, 
to    be    instructed    in   the    lilxM-al   and  mechanical    arts, 
which    he   wished   to  introduce   into  his  own  country. 
Such  was  the  first  Spanish  Ciovernor<«iven  to  Louisiana, 
and    well   nu^Ui  the   most  refined  and  fastidious  com- 
munity have  been  proud  of  the  choice. 

The  companions  of  VWou  and  his  associates  in  power 
were  not  unworthy  of  their  chief,  and  mighf,  at  least, 


•t ' 


152 


DON  i:ntkva\  oayarre. 


liiivc  chjillon«r(.(l  comimrison  willi  any  of  the.  Froncli 
rulci-H  who  |)nH'.(>(lr(|  ihcni  in  the  colony. 

Don  Juan  Josopli  do  Loyola,  tlicconnnissary  of  war 
and  military  inicndanl,  was,  ii  is  said,  of  the  family 
which  hoaslcd  of  haviiirr  produced  I<rnati()  (h  F.oyola, 
fli(!  cclchralcd  nalivi;  of  the  provinco  of  Gui|)Uscoii— at 
lirst  tlu!  nol)h^  cavali(!r,  tin;  brilliant  courtier,  tlu;  poet, 
1h(!  intrepid  hero;  at  last,  the  sainlly  (enthusiast,  the 
extraordinary  compound  of  piety  and  jr(>nins  rnn  mad; 
ni  a  word,  llie  ori<;iualor  of  the  most  powerful  associa- 
tion the  world  ever  knew— the  founder  of  the  imMhrnous 


der  of  the  .lesuits.     Don  Juan  Joseph  de  Loyola  was 
no  imfit  r(>pr(>sentative  of  the  name  he  bore,     lie  liad 
the   (>l<«oance  of  manners,   the  hi(rh  br«>edin<r,   and  tl 
kniohily  bravery  of  Ids   namesake;  nay,  to  make  tl 


le 


resemblance}   stron«rer,  and  as  it 


were  m  proof  o 


f  tl 


le 


kindred  blood  ho  pretended  to  iiave  in  his  veins,  he 
seenu'd  to  have  iidierited,  as  an  heirloom,  the  poetical 
mind,  the  h(>al(>d  imairination,  and  the  ndi«rious  enthu- 
siasm which  colored  his  life,  which  ^deamed  like  a 
snbdued  fwe  inuhn-  the  crust  of  his  most  worldly  actions, 
and  nuirked  him  as  an  interestin^r  object  of  study  to  the 
obs(>rver,  and  as  a.  man  of  no  ordinary  stamp. 

Don  lvst<!van  de  Cayarre,  the  contador,  or  royal 
auditor  and  comptroller,  was  a  younger  son  of  a 
l>atrician  house  of  tlu;  kinjrdom  of  Navarre,  in  Spain. 
At  tlu!  iu^v  of  nineteen,  on  the  1st  of  November,  1711, 
he  had  souj^dit  to  IxMter  his  fortun(>s  by  the  chances  of 
war,  and  by  eidisling  in  the  army.  bVoni  1742  to  1718, 
under  the  conmiand  of  his  Royal  lli^rhness  Don  I'elipe, 
he  served  with  distinction  in  Italy.  In  his  first  campaign 
in  Piemont,  he  w  as  in  the  (>ngag(>ments  of  Aygab(d  and 
St.  Andre  ;  in  the  S(>cond,  he  shared  the  dangers  of  the 
retreat  through  the  defile  of  Lanell  ;*  in  the  third,  he 

*  This  is  the  Spanish  ortliogniphy  of  these  naini's  in  the  ihicunieiits  which  I  possoss. 


nON    ESTKVAN    <JAYARRi:. 


15:} 


was  nt,  tho  attack  of  tlio  trenches  and  batteries  of  Nice; 
at  tl.(^  stonning  of  tiie  citadels  of  Villa   Franca   and 
Montalhan,   ni  the  comity  of  Nice,  which  were  built 
amidst  idinost  inaccessibh,   rocks,  and  which  could  be 
approached  ordy  throu«rh  narrow  gor^rcs  and  yawning 
al)yHS(vs,    connnandfMl    by   a    formidable    artilh^ry,    and 
d(!fend(ul  by  a  numerous   army  occupying  the   ncugh- 
bormg   heighls.     Villa  I'Vanca,  which  is  pc^rcluKl  on  a 
rock  rismg  up  twelve  hundnid  f(!et,  and  bristling  with 
guns,    was    garrison<Hl    by    t(>n    thousimd    Piemontese, 
assisted  by  tlu;  l^nglish  Admiral  iHathews,  with  a  portion 
of  the  marines  and  gmmers  of  his  fleet.     Both  these  for- 
tr(!ss<;s,  which  s(;emed  impn^gnable,  w(!re  carried  by  a 
simultaneous  assault  of  the  I'nirich  and  Spaniards;  the 
Pieniontesc;  wer(>  cut  to  pieces,  and  the  l<:nglish  put  to 
flight.      Twenty  thousand  prisoners,  among  whom  was 
tlu!  Count  d(!  T.a  Suze,  the  commander-in-chicif,  on(!  hun- 
dred and  seven  pi(>ces  of  artillery,  and  tin;  con(iu(>st  of 
th(!  (bounty  of  Nice,  were  the  results  of  these  two  glo- 
rious exjK'ditions. 

^  Don  l':stevau  Cayarre  was  also  at  the  taking  of  the 
l*ost  of  tlu;  |{arri(;a(l(!s,  a,  passage  of  eighteen  f^ret  wide, 
betw(!en  two  mountains  towcjriug  to  tlic;  sky,  prot(>cted 
by  the  Stura,   which   tlui  king  of  Sardinia  had  turned 
from  its  nntural  course  into  tin;  pr(!cipice,  and  by  three 
intrenchments    and    a   covered   way;    at   the    sieg(i    of 
Demont,  a  fortress  built  at  an  immense  cost  on  tlu;  top 
of  an  isolated  rock,  in  th(>  midst  of  the  valley  of  Stura, 
and  which  was  taken  on  the  1 7th  of  August,  1711,  after 
a  si(>g(M)f  on(!  month;  at  the  si(>ge  of  the  fortified  town 
of  Com,  and  at  what  the;   Spaniards  called  the  irhrious 
battle  of  the  Campo  de  la  J/adoaa  del  Holnw.     T'liis  bat- 
tle, in  which  he  was  dangerously  wounded,  is  the  one 
wliK^h  occurred  under  the  walls  of  Coni,  when  th(!  com- 
bined armies  of  Spain  and  Franco  were  attacked,  on  the 


i'  ■  i  I  I 


t 


•  I, 


'    1' 


1 

'1 

J     i 

1  ■  ^ 

,,         ; 

*    '     ■     ' 

■[ 

i     1 

I 

vij. 

1 

r 


I!! 


,|;i  ( 


154 


DON    ESTEVAN    GAYARRE. 


30tli  of  Soi)toinl)or,  1711,  by  tlio  king  of  Sardinia  at  the 
licad  of  superior  forces  to  tliosc  of  his  adversaries. 
Tlie  Pieinontes(>,  with  a  loss  of  five  thousand  men,  were 
beaten  hacic  by  the  Frencli  and  Spaniards,  who  foujrht 
with  the  jrencrous  enudation  of  old  rivnls  in  feats'' of 
arms  and  (h)eds  of  glory.  In  the  campaign  (jf  the  year 
1747,  in  the  county  of  Nice,  Don  Estevan  Gayarre 
attracted  the  notice  and  obtained  the  connnendation  of 
his  superiors,  by  the  zeal  and  hiielligence  which  he  dis- 
playetl  in  several  perilous  sallies  and  partial  expeditions, 
which  he  led  through  the  country. 

On  the  1st  of  December,  1751,  after  having  served  ten 
years,  he  aj)plied  to  the  court  to  be  permitted  to  retire 
from  the  army ;  and  considering,  said  his  certificate  of 
discharge,*  that  among  the  other  causes  of  the  step  he 
had  taken,  was  that  of  his  having  exhausted  his  patri- 
mony, by  his  just  inclination  to,  and  love  of,  the  military 
career,  and,  above  all,  the  pernuinent  injury  done  to  his 
health  by  the  serious  Avound  he  had  received  at  the  bat- 
tle of  the  Madona  del  Ilolmo,  in  1741.  lie  was  gra- 
ciously granted  what  he  sued  for,  and  was  strongly 
recommended  to  the  royal  favor.  Probably  in  conse- 
quence of  it,  he  obtained,  in  .Tanuary,  1752,  one  of  the 
most  important  ofllces  at  La  Coruna,  under  Don  Fran- 
cisco de  Mendoza  y  Sotomayor,  general  Contador,  or 
auditor  and  comjjtroller,  for  the  army  and  kingdom  of 
Gallicia.  On  the  IHst  of  May,  1705,"  he  received  a  let- 
ter from  the  M.irquis  of  Piedra  Bucna,  askir.g  him 
whether  he  would,  as  Contador,  or  royal  comptroHer  of 
the  province  of  Louisiana,  accompany  IHloa  to  that 
colony.  ITis  answer  to  this  proposition  is  remarkably  in 
harmony  with  the  reluctance  which  Spain  felt  to  take 
possession  of  the  territorial  present  tendered  to  her  by 

*  La  tie  Jiavor  oxfiiif^iiido  m  initrininiiio  on  justii  iiicliiiiioioii  y  nmor  do  Ins 
arums,  y  In  prinoipnl,  dc  la  niinoraoion  do  sii  salud  por  la  gravodad  do  sii  liorida. 


i         ■■! 


DON    MARTIN   NAVARRO. 


155 


Franco,  and  is  a  cliaractcristic  specimen  of  tlie  litrht  in 
which  was  considered  a  mission  to  a  country,  not  tfien 
of  very  good  fame,  and  certainly  of  very  little  import- 
ance, at  the  time,  in  European  estimation.     In  his  reply 
to  the  Marquis  of  Piedra  Buena,  Don  Estevan  Gayarre 
says  that,  "  after  havin/r  had  the  honor  of  serving  the 
king  twenty-four  years,  his  devotion  and  fealty  to  the 
royal  person  cannot  i)ermit  him  to  refuse  to  discharge 
any  duties,  which  his  mnjesty  might  think  of  imposing 
ujjon  him."     But,  on  signifying  his  acceptance  to  the 
Marquis  of  Piedra  Buena,  he   dwells  upon  the  merit 
which  lie  thinks  he  deserves  by  it,  and  stipulates  that  his 
going  to  America  must  be  iuid(!rstood  as  not  interfering 
with  his  promotion  in  the  Peninsuhi.     On  the  lOth  of 
June,  17G5,  he  was  fin.dly  appointed  by  the  king:  Coii- 
Indor  prinqml  del  Mi, listeria  dc  Guerra  y  Real  Hacienda  J  P- 
in  the  province  of  Louisiana.     Thus  ikr  go  the  public 
documents  concerning  this  gentleman.     There  are  others 
of  a  private  nature,  testifying  to  his  many  virtues,  to  the 
excellence  of  his  mind,  and  showing  that,  in  those  quali- 
ties which  adorn  the  soul,  he  could  hardly  bo  excelled. 
He  possessed,  in  an  emin(-nt  degree,  all  the  noble  traits 
of  character  which   distinguish  the  healthy  and  hardy 
race  of  mountaineers,  among  whom  he  was  born,  in  the 
valley   of  Roncnl  in   Navarro,   amidst   the    impressive 
scenery  of  the  Pyrennean  heights.     To  those  qualifica- 
tions he  owed,  no  doubt,  the  many  testimonials  of  res- 
l)oct  and  esteem  he  received,  in  the  different  situations 
in  which  he  was  placed,  during  the  course  of  a  long  life 
vouchsafed  to  him  by  providence. 

Don  Martin  Navarro,  the  treasurer,  represented 
among  his  colleagues  the  democratic  element,  which,  in 
later  days,  was  to  exercise  so  powerful  an  influence  over 
the  destinies  of  mankind.  He  was  the  son  of  a  poor 
tavern-keeper,  and  had  risen,  l)y  dint  of  industry,  [)erso- 


,ry.*^ 


Mi! 


I      i 


f-lf; 


li     . 


i 

•1  j 

- 

1 

'' 

ir)0 


DON    MARTIN    NAVAKItO. 


vorancp,  nnd  n(l(lr<>MH.  Slircvvd,  nci'wo,  iiiid  Iiorn'st,  lio 
(IcscTvcd  to  Im>  friisfcd;  iirid  Uviuif  willinl  a  Imku.  (-omi),!. 
iiion,  !ind  .skilliil  in  Hk.  uiiys  of  llw  world,  he  had  IIioho 
<|iiali(i(iifion.s  which  molhly  «mivv.  coiicihafr  opposifion, 
and  render  .smooth  and  easy  the  path  to  .MiiccesM.  Lik,' 
water,  which  neeks  its  lev(>i,  his  taleiitM  and  ac(|nirenients 
had,  hy  slow  de^n-ees,  raised  him  to  tli(>  position  in 
H()ci(>ty  which  was  his  dne. 

Such  were  the  m(>n,  who,  In  ITtJtl,  liad  come,  in  the 
nam(>  of  Charles  III.,  kin^r  of  Spain,  am!  of  the  Indies, 
to  take  j)ossession  of  the  ronntry  ceded  to  him  in  ITti'i! 


I 


m.  * 


Fonrrif  j.ix'rrifu:. 


Ui..,a'h  Sa,auv-1I,h   lNMru„..i,oNH-II,s   I.;,k..utm  to  kkk.-  ,t  rm  ummurri, 
UKN.M   I.A..KK  Mo.,.:v-T„,.:hk   |.;,....,u.h  auk  (•o,:..,.KUAr,K„  nv    ...K  .•.,.,.,^.s•;- 

":';;:..;:,;;"  ""* '''"" *"  ■•^"^  '^'"  ■^■"^  ^^"-'•''  "•"  ^^'«'-- 

►  OK  «.,„„  I,,„„A  „„^>,  N,,,.  ,.,KK  |.',.UMA,.  I'cHHKHH.ON  OK  TI.K  ('n>.ONV~|hH  Im 
.•..K.HH..,N.,  (INKAVOHA,.,,.  TO  ,,„  V.:,V,..ru>.-l<'a^.rK  «Kn.HKH  „,  PAV  rMK  J.^ 
■KN.KH    O,.-   ,„.    0.,.ONV    .,N,.,.:   MAUn,,    17.1.;_T..KV    A,U=    A.H,  M.U    >,V     n.K   S..AN.H,. 

()ovKaNMKNT-A.M.i.v    u,.r.Am.s    ,•,.,.;    N,.m,na..    Comman,.    ok    ,„k    Co.ovv      ,, 

OOVKUNK  A,...n,.,.,.o  ,.,  „,,,,„..  ]„..rArK.S~.S,.AN,H„  ('..„MK..,.M,.  LKrUK,,..;  ,,,« 
(.11.  OK  Mav,  l7(;i!-A,To>NrM,.;NT  OK  KuKNr.,  ( 'oMM.HHA.UK^,  TO  IVk.HASK  AUT, 
'•..«  OK^  KX,.n,nAT.nN_l;,,.OA  V.H.TH  THK  HKVKKAI,  I'oslH  ANI.  S^rm.KMI  NTM- 
rUKU  N,.AN,H„  |.„:.,.K.K  OK  CoMMK,..,.:  ,N  S,.;,.TKM,.Km  MiM-Kn-KrVH  OK  THAT 
J>K.UK|.;~UKM0NHTlUN.i«  OK  THK  CoLONlKTS  AOAINHT  ,— |-,H  KxK.lrnoN  H.  .- 
KKM.KI,  MV  AnM.V-Ko.:.A.r,rH  l,Krn.;K  TO  ,|W  (JoVKKNMKNT  ON  TMK  S.'.Jk.T- 
JIIK  (OLONIMTM  AUK  ,.N,.K.U  TIIK  IMPIlKSHroN  TM AT  MIKIK  As.rKNT  ItldMW  AM.  I'm- 
V.,,K..K.  A>.K  S..:.r,UCl.  KNI-KIVrUK  TUKATV  OK  (Jk^IoN-IIlloA  Sojouknk  HKVKN 
MONTMH  AT  TMK  HaI.I/.K-I  I H  Ma.U.,A.,K  WITI,  THK  Ma,.M,0NKSS  ok  AlmAl.r  — 
Al.lM.V.  l)K,M,TUl.TION  OK  IJi.U.a'h  ( '..AUAnK.K-CoMM.NWVnoN  o,  TI.K  MaK.MIS 
<M'    (..UMA.,,.,    TO   TUK    i\,V^V    OK     K.KNTKS   o.V    S.-AIn's     DkLAV    TO    TAKK    l>oasK„H,„„ 

OK    l,o, tsiana-Kkt.un  ok  ,Ikan    M„.„,..t,    tin.;    1)ki.k<.atk   ok  TIIK   CoLommTH  to 

•UANr.v-S,„NH  „K  IloHTlMTV  To  Till-;  SkAMAKDH— IntKNHK  Col.O  IN  IVliH- 
IN.'UKAHK  OK  K.X,TTK.V1KNT-llM,OAH  TaH.KM,  MaM.TS,  AN,,  1  ),H,.os,T,oNH-l  |,s 
WIKK    OIVKS    OkKKNCK-AuURV's    OnHKKVATlo.NS    ON    IIIH    <,WN    lOXTUAOIM.INAUV     I'os,. 

ri..N_CoN,sr,UA.v  aoainht  tiik  Scamaui-k-I-ko,  kki.inoh  ok  tmh  Conh.mkatoks- 

(nAKA.TKK  OK  ImKKKNIKUH:,  TMK  KlNo's  AtIOHNKV  ( I  KNKUAI.-TmK  CoNSKiUATOUK 
TAKK     loSHKSS.oN     OK     N  KW     OlM.KANH     AT    TMK     MKAO     OK     TMK    A.AI.UNS    AN,,    dm- 

mans_(.kn,;ha,,  lNH,;,uiK.Ti.,N~Ai:miv'«  (:oni..mt-(!,,,.oa  |;kt,i;,:s  on   noAm.  ok 

TMK  S,•^M.^„  |-,:,„AT,C-LoVO,,A,  (iAYAHIlK,  NaVA.M.o,  AN„  TMK  OTMK,.  S>.AN,V,<,H 
..NTIIK  ..OINTOK  1M.:|N,.  KxTK>!M,NATK„-TmK  , 'oLoMH,,,  ]),,MANI,  OK  TMK  SlTK- 
molt  Co,  N.TI,  TMK  KmtLS.oN  OK  TMK  Sl^ANIAKMH-S,.,,,,,,,  OK  LAKUKN,..n.K  IN  H.K 
ro,N.M.-l)K,|U;K  OK  TMK  ColNrll.  AOAINHT  n,.,.oA,  (JaVAUU,:.  T.OVO,,^  AN,. 
AAVAIim—A.MKv's  I'UOTKHT  AOA,N,HT  ,T-(  JKIN.ON  KmiitKI-  ,.V  l.\,nAr,T  ,N  UIK 
(  orN.M,-lHNNKH  AT  Ko,..An,TS  J  loKSK-TlIK  (•o,:n,II,  V,«ith  TIIK  InsI.UMKN,^  ,N 
''     V— IlM,,,n„,s    l!,:.,olC,N(iH    ..K   TMK    I 'Kon  I,— 1{  KKLIiCITONS 


!'! 


(, 


TiiK  iiimuiil  HJiIiiry  Jillowcd  to  Don  Aiiloiiio  (h>  UHoji, 
Jifl  «r,,v(.rii(>r,  ill  J7o.;,  mC  ;i  colony  of^.n  tlioiismul  vvhpcs 
!in(l  l)l!icks,  wi.H  $()()()().  'J'|„.  same  .miiii  is  ^rranlod,  in 
1851,  as  a  .sumcieiit  rcnmiiciation  Ibr  his  servrccs,  to  tlio 


'I 


m. 


:  r 


158 


riJ.OA*N    INNTKIUlTKtNN. 


prrs.'iit   ^Mucinor  of    I isijiim,    uiili    j,    |»()|„iliiliuii   of 

inoiv  lli.iii  .■»(»(),(><><)  Monk     (•(.iisi(lriiii<r  the  (liir,T(>iirr  oC 
ciniiiiisliiiucH,   iirid  of  ihr  n-|ji(i\r  vjiliic  of   money    nt 
thill   linir  nn<l  in  «>nr  <l;i\s,  it  ciinnot   lint   hv  seen  "that 
thrrc  was,  in  rciihty,  ii  .sliikino  (hlH:vn(c  h.twccn  th(; 
luo  siihiricM.     l'n<l(-r  the   In-nch  fr<»vnnnirnt,  the  Njilnry 


ol    the 


novel  iH»r 


hn<l 


risen,  h-oin   two   Ihoiisnui  dolhin 


•riven  to  ItienviHc,  to  t»>ii  ihoiiHiind  allowed  to  tin;  Vlar- 
(|iiiM  of  \  andrenil. 

A<lin^'  with  the  iisnal   heii(«volence  whieh   fornied  one 
of  lli«'  well  known   lealiires  of  his  <hai-aet 


cr,  a 


lid  tal 


\iiii' 


into  coiiHiileralion  the  hahils,  ciimIoiiis,  |n-<>iiidie(>s,  want> 
and  wishes  of  his  new  snhji'cts,  Charhs  III.  Iia<l  .-iven  I 


(!|| 


oa  the  lollowmo  insliiietions 


I  havt'  resolved  that,  in  that   new  ae«|insition,  then? 


he  no  elianwc  in  the  adnniiislralion  of  its 
and  Iherelon',  that  it   he  not   suhjecled   to  the  I; 
nsa^es  which  are  ohseived   in  my    Ainei-i<!Mi  doinin 


y;overninent, 
and 


iws 


Ifom  which  it   is  a  disliint   tol 


ions. 


to 


Have  no  comnierce 


It 


ony,  and  with  which  it  is 


is  my  will  that  it  h(>  indepen- 
dent of  t\w  ministry  oftlu'  Indies  (ministerio  <h'  Indias), 


s  annexed  to  it 


ol   Its  conncil,  and  of  the  other  trihnnal 

and  that  ali  uhich  may  he  relative  to  that  colony,  shal 

pass     throni^h    the    [Ministry    of    State    (minist(-rio    d( 


r'stad(»),   and    that    y 


thai    chamu'l    alone,   what 
yonr  <fov«Mnment  " 


on    commnmcatt?   to   me,   throno-li 

I  1^ 


<!ver  may  he  appertammir   to 


It  will  he  recoll(>cte(l,  that   tluMc  were  in  the  colony 
seven  millions  of  paper  cnrrency,  which  had  h(>en  issued 


le  rumor  spread 
,  anioii<r  the 


by  (Ii(>   I'reiich  liovernmenl.       When  tl 

that  tlu^  Spaniards  W('r(>comiiii,nip  IIh*  river 

other    causes    of    consternation,     was    the    nncerlainty 

existinnr    as   to    that    currency.       Would     the    SpanisJi 

•Government    ivj(>ct    it   altoyvther .''      Would    it   Im;   sup- 

{)rcssed   in  private   transactions/     Or   would   the  now 


i:xnri:>ii:M'  ro\ri:iiNiNci  tih:  |.aim;u  <  ruRi:N<  v.  If)') 


p.vrrni.M.nl  m(,.,,  i„t„  (|„.  ph,,-,.  „C  (|„.  o|,|,  „imI 

Its  ol»li;4ii(ioiiM|'      III  llijit 


IIMHIIIIH! 


ciiMc,  would  (lie  |>;i|K'i-<iirn'ii<;y 


'»''  nMl,M..iir(l  nt  par,  <.r  only  ,,l   iIk,  (li.sconnt  of  7 


mil.,  wlii<-|i  flu,  I'lviicl 


tlui  I<'<,mI  iitiioiiiit  of  its  (I 


I  «ovrnitin«Mt  lind  csfnMislicd 


»  per 


ilH 


in  flic  roiiiiiioii  niii  of  |„|,mj„ 


pnM-infioii,  iilllH.iijrIi,   ill  rjicl, 


<-HM  !iiiioiinr  iiidividijiilM,  f'oin 


noimis  in  IHaf  pnpn-  ninvnry   ,vp,vs,,,i,.d  only  onr  do! 
-  in  spccH-.     S.,  iiiinis..  iMrnmc  ll.r  ,.x,if,,„i,i|  on  \h 


liir 


HuhjiTl,   tliiif,   on   (|i(.  v«'ry  dny   of  I 

'''';•''<'''''' ••<>"Hinssni-y  |<\Min,nlf;( li.Mi.  1,1  |,inis..|r,nMldird, 


loa's   an-ivid,    tJK 


crvK 


w  vviMi  |||(>  Spanisji  <ro\vnuir,   |o  1; 
•'■'"  '"'"  •!'<'  J'pl"-«'l"'HHioiiH  of  til,,  coLmuhIh.       ( 


in  his  liiMf  jnt 

ix'i; 

rcliirncd  the  <rra(jon 

stood  IJu'  dis(r 

sion  of  that  ciirr 


ly 


loa 


^  !ins\v<T,  lliat  Ik;  prrfcf-tly  under- 
<'HM  wliicli  would  rcMiilt  Ironi  tlic'snpprcs- 
*'"'7»  ""''  >liiit,  ill  order  to  keep  it  in  cii-. 


nilation  nntil   lie   ivceived   instrnrtions  to  stop  it  I 
ronversM.n  into  some  oth.-r  nirreiiey,  h."  wonl.l,  iinm,, 


y  its 


(liiitely  after  liavinjr  tak 


that    the    |)aper    issued   |,y    (he    I'l-encl 
received   as    well   anionif   th«!  S 


en  possession  of  the  colony,  order 


I 


reiich,  at  the  rate  of  7 


I   <j;<)V(!riini(>iil   Im; 
paniards   as   anion<r   th«! 


oi 


(!( 


/.»  per  cent.,  winch   was  the  rat< 


|>reciati(Hi    arkiiowled<ved    |,y    |h( 


"government    of 


rraiice.     Anhry  and  roucanit   hasten,.,!  t")  inak,- pnhlic 

ion.       Itiit    th,'   colonists   w,.r<!    not 


this    liheral   declarat 

satisli,-,l,  and  clam,)iv,l  that,  the  pap,.r  oii-ht  fo  he  ta|! 
at  pa 


\(;n 


>o  anxious  was   Ulloa  to 


concihat,!  those  ovor  wl 


ome   to   preside,  that,  havin;^   I 


destinies    Ik^   had    c 

i'lloriiM'd  or  th,!ir  complaints,  lu;   resolv,>,l, 

l»"'    i'"   ••lid    to   their  dis,ontent,  to  show  them  that   I 

"d«'ntion  was  that   lh,>   Spanianis  shonld  (i.rc  no  I 


lOSO 

)een 


in  order  to 


than    the    colonist 


I 


lis 


)(!tt,'r 


l)oiii;ht  with  ,lo||j 


cent. 


tendered  it  to  the 


accomplish     this    ohje,!,    h,; 

dis(!()mit  of  seventy-(iv,!  p,'r 

"'<'   l»--'iM'r   he    conid  n;r.\    in   th,;  market,  and 


irs,  at   a   (lis. 


Si 


•anish  troops,  in  dischai-'r,;  of  one- 


■  : 


I       i 


I         !■ 


:i 


•in 


160   EXCITEMENT   CONCERNING   THE    PAPER  CURRENCY. 

third  of  tlicir  pay.     But  these  troops  obstinately  refused 
to  receive  it,  and  Ulloa  found  liimself  opposed  in  this 
scheme,  both  by  the  French  and  the  Spaniards.     The 
inhabitants  of  Louisiana,  who  were  in  the  habit  of  losing 
three  dollars  in  four  of  the  paper  currency,  in  meeting 
the  current  expenses  of  life,  and  who  had  been  eager  to 
furnish  the  French  government  with  as  much  of  it  as  it 
had  chosen  to  redeem  at  seventy-five  per  cent.,  refused 
to  part  with  it  on  the  same  terms  when  offered  by 
Ulloa  ;  and  although  it  was  to  please  them  and  to  show 
his  impartiality,  that  this  functionary  was  attempting  to 
give   it  in   payment   to   his   troops,  yet   it   was    with 
considerable  difficulty  that  he  could  procure  the  small 
quantity  which  he  had  tendered  to  his  troops,  and  at 
which   they   had   scouted.     The   colonists   gave   as   a 
reason,  that  the  king  of  France  would,  if  Louisiana  had 
not  been  transferred  to  Spain,  have  called  in  all   his 
paper  at  par,  and  that  his  Catholic  Majesty  was  bound 
to  do  the  same ;  they  further  pretended,  that  althoucdi 
the  colony  had  ceased  to  belong  to  the  most  Christian 
king,  yet  that,  true  to  the  plighted  faith  of  his  royal 
word,  he  would  pay  to  the  last  cent  the  full  amount  of 
the  depreciated  paper.     But  the  whole  financial  history 
of  the  colony  gave  the  most  emphatic  contradiction  to 
these   assertions,  and  the  pretensions  of  the  colonists 
were    provokingly    unjust    and    unreasonable.      They 
originated  from  the  desire  of  throwing  every  obstacle  in 
the  way  of  the  new  government,  and  this  was  the  true 
reason  why  UHoa's  liberality  met  with  so  singular  a 
return.     This  was  the  first  trial  which  the  phifosopliy 
of  the  man  of  science  had  to  undergo  in  Louisiana;  and 
It  is  not  unfair  to  suppose  that  he  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion, that  he  had  to  deal  with  a  very  intractable  set  of 
people. 

Another  cause  of  irritation  for  the  Spaniards  soon 


k 


^•m 

■  ■',' "  f! k 

il 

DIFFICULTY    WITH   THE    FRENCH   TROOKS.  161 

rollowod.    France,  in  order  to  induce  Charles  III.  to 
take  charge  of  the  burdensome  colotly  of  Louisiana 
and  m  order  to  soften  the  prospect  of  L  fruitle  sdl: 
bursements  with  which  he  wa.  threatened,  in  ca  e  of 
iHs   accepting  the  donation   pressed   upon    him,    had 
represented   to   that   monarch   that   it   would   n't    be 
necessary  for  Spam  to  go  to  the  immediate  expense  of 
transportmg  troops,  ammunition,  &c.,  to  that  colony 
and   had   pronnsed   that   the    three   hundred    men    o 
mflmtry  she  had  m  Louisiana  would  remain  thore  M  the 
service  of  h,s  Catholic  Majesty,  as  long  as  he  plea.cd 
to  retain  them      This  was  the  cause  of  Tllloa/l  av  n' 
come  only  with  mnety  men  to  take  possession   of  thf 
province.    But  the  French  troop.,  having  for  some  time  • 
past   been    entitled   to    their  discharge,   perempto% 
refused  to  pass  mto  the  service  of  Sp^in      It  was    n 
vain  that  Aubry,  IJlloa,  and  Foucault  assured  them  that 
heir   engagement   would    not    be   of   long    duration, 
because  troops  were  expected  from  the  Peninsula  •  it 
was  in  vain  they  were  informed  that  the  wish  of  their 
k.ng  was  that  they  should  so  enlist,  and  that  a  promise 
to  that  efJect  had  been   made   by  his  most  Christian 
Majesty  ;    ,t  was  in  vain  that  their  officers,  at  least 
ostensibly,  urged  them  to  continue   to  be  on  military 
duty  under  the   Spanish  banner.     They  answered  that 
their  tunc  was  out;  (hat  they  were  willing,  however 
not  to  avail  themselves  of  their  right  to  be  discharged' 
but  that  It  was  a  sacrifice  which  they  would  undergo 
only  to  serve  their  legitimate  king  under  the  national 
«ag.     Aubry   convened   all    the    French   officers,    laid 
before    them  the  instructions  which  he  had    received 
Irom  Ins  government,  to  put  the  military  forces  of  the 
colony  at  the  disposal  of  the   Spanish  governor,  and 
consulted  them  on  the   practicability  of  coercing  the 
troops   mto    the    service   of  Spain  ;    but   the   officers 

II 


'  I V-' 


M 


n 


I  I 


1 

1*. 

'r 

i  i  ' 

',i  !    ■ 
'h 

\ 

a. , 


1&2 


Dii  rnn/iii's  wn  ii    im;   lUitoPN. 


'I  ! 


m 


U      ^! 


"iiummioiisly  ,|,.rl!.iT<l  (ii:,!  i|„>  s,1((m.i|,|  w.miM  Iw 
»'.\c.(>(«<lin,i.|y  (li.ii;r,.nMiH.     Siuli  iM-ino  ii„.  Hli.lr  „r  nlli.irH 

inioU     oi.v,.     up     till     id,-;,     „r    lukinu     ,M,MS,.,Msi( "    ||„! 

n'lon.V  lor  (lie  |.ivs,>i.l  ;  mile-,!,  j.i    i| MivinJiy  of  f|„. 

loNvn,  s(.in(>  li,Mis,.s,  in  ul,i,.|,  |„«  i,„|ur,|  his  u.n  r..rn- 
l"""«^'^  "'■  l<'<»t,  .-n..!  s.Mil  i.nm,.<li,,l,.  ii.ron„;.lM,ii  I,,  |,is 
^ovcnniHMit    ol    Ml,.    cinMiiiisljiiiccs    in    nlnrli    li,.     u„s 

|)l!U'('<l. 

'I'lic    ,>.•.>•    oC  (|„.    S|);,niHli    s(.Mi,-rs    in    ll.iviuiii   u.-.s 
ll.irly.liv,.  Iivivs  ,„>,•  n.nnU,  ;   |,ni  |l||,,,,  ,m,  Imm  nnivi.l  in 
I.omsiim;.,  .v.liircd  lo  McNi-n   livics  i,   nionll.  Ih,.  p.-.v  „r 
tli«    mn.-ly  mmmi    Ii,>   |,;mI  (nk.>n  iil    tl.;.|  rilv,  „„  |„s  iv-.y 
to    N.<w    Orleans.     Tins    uj.s   l|„.   p;,y   ,,r  (|„.    IVcnci, 
H>l.li(Ms   .n   Konisimi;,,  un,i  ll||<,;,   I,hI,  no  <lonl,l,  lakm 
Hhs    s(rp   u.th  n   o,,,,,!   inirnlion     Ih.-.l    „r  pnUin--   d,,. 
Spanish   iHM.ps  on   (h,.  same   foolino  uiU,   ||„.   |.',vii,|i 
<'>'«I   '>'■  pivv.-nlinjj;   any    iii\i,li(,„s    .•ompariMon.      |{„|   ,( 
Avnsaslrokrori.a.lpoJM-y;   il  uas  an  a.(  oC  injnslin-  (.» 
tlio  Spanish   In.ops,   uj,,)   lu'cainc  <lis,-,,iil<>nlr',l  ;  ;,n.|  i( 
AVnsNvanl.no    in    lihrraiily  In   ihr   I' itihIi,  who  raiN.I  al 
tlu>  ill-lnnrd  ,Tononiy.    Piohahly  ilTlloa  ha.l  rais.Ml  ||u> 
•''•'•nch  pay  ol  scv.mi  livivs  to  ihr  Spanish  pay  ol'  (hiilv- 
iiv.-  p.-r  month,  (hr  (<>n.plalion  (o  .nlisl  uoiiNI  |,;,v,.  h,.,"  n 
sojitvaJ,  dial   (h.«  aNnsion  of  (j...    I'n,„.h    ^^nuU\   have 
vicl(l<-(l    lo  iji,<  allinvincnl    Icnd.-iv.l    |o    (hcni.     I  ||o„:s 
<'<>iiis,-,   on   this   occasion,   nnisl    .M.iiainlv    hv    hlam.-d 
unless  he  acl,-d  nnder  s|)ccial  iiislnniions." 

'nH's«'vvnv  the  diHic,iIli<.s  he  nicl  on  lli<>  fhirshold 
'•"««l  lli<«y  pn.diurd  on  hint  v.>ry  nnla\ond.|.-  iinpirssions' 
<o  nhich  (.Ih.r  ••iivninslaiices  had  (•onlril)iil,.(i  lo  -iv,.  -] 
•HMTsha.lr.  The  inllu,.nr,.  of  physical  and  exhTiial 
oh]cv{^,  «>v.„  on  the  slron-esl  mind,  is  u,.||  knou,,  • 
•«'i.l  11  IS  not  Iheivloiv  aslonishino  i|,;,|  (hr  ..|„oniy 
•Mviiery  of  ihv  IJali/..,  of  lh,.  heavily  fin.lMM-ed  anil 
""U'vated  hanks   of  the   Mississippi,   as   W(.||   iis  (li,. 


line 


WIUnVlIK,.    r«»M„T,oN    <M-    MM  IS.AN. 


k;:) 


"f ''!'"'t   "iMx-anM.r,.    or  ,|.,.    |.„„I..|   of  ^.w  ()..|,...,h 
wind.    Hum.    ,n.,„lM.n.(|   „„    m.Mv   (Inn    .1  .         /i  i 

'"''••''•il;in(s.»r  .,11  ,.,.1,.,.  "•"'"•'"    'I'T,.    (I,„u.s;,ii,| 

'■'^'"    <'l    l-o„,s.„i.,-,,    u    ,n;.n    who    liad 


"<'W   (■o.iicrs   saw,    (or    f|„, 


■•n>-.. .:^:.r:,:;::::^;r;- s::::''',,;'7  "r 

-7.."'.":.»i;:;;.::";;;:;:::;^:rj:-:;-: 


'<    iiiiisl.   I),.  adiniK.Ml,  and 


"    i'^  .•il)iiii(laii(ly  proved  l.v 


""■ ;"'"'"'", "-'  '■"'"-■•....  h.„i  i„...„,     '  ; 

OIIIU   :i    loll     (    ...<        .    1-  .  ">      .   IIH   .         II> 


"I  ;i  s(ar\iii<r  con- 


"iK'inal    icsoiircrs     or    i-oii,,.. 


,i.'  <'lsc,  on  (lie  niollicr 

I 


•'     """"    "K'    I'rcnc  I  Kmi""-    ii'ld    ilii'. 
•<jMaM(.(;  in    .1,  as  u  /.H'scnl,  on   (li,« 


|;ii 


i'lj:^ 


i 


•^i 


'       T 


,( 


Ul 


f      : 


( ■'i' 


1C4      HOSTILITY   OF    THE    INHABITANTS    TO    UIJOA. 

Spanisli  king,  who  had  hesitated  to  receive  the  onerous 
donation,  and  had  consented  to  it  merely  to  obhge  his 
beloved  cousin  of  France.     Now  when  the  Spaniard's  had 
come,  at  the  urgent  invitation  of  France ;  when  they 
certainly    could    not    make    matters    worse    for    the 
colonists,  than  they  had  been  so  far;    when,  on  the 
contrary,  there  was  the  prospect  of  a   change  for  the 
better;  when  the  dollars  of  Spain  were  to  bo  intro- 
duced, instead  of  the  stamped  paj)er  rags  which  had 
constituted  the  currency  of  the  country ;''  when  Ulloa 
on  the  very  day  of  his  arrival,  had  hastened  to  relieve 
the  uneasiness  of  the  inhabitants,  by  promising  to  keep 
up  the  present  rate  of  the  depreciated  paper,  siich  as  it 
had  been  fixed  by  France  ;  when  he  had  made  known 
his  instructions,  that  no  changes  would  take  place  in 
the  civil  organization,  in  the  laws,  customs,  and  usages 
of  die  province  ;  when  he  had  professed  in  his  letter 
from  Havana  to  the  Superior  Council,   and  since,  in 
repeated  verbal  declarations,  that  it  was  both  his  duty 
and  his  most  anxious  wish  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  be 
useful  and  agreeable  to  the  people  ;  when  to  remove 
national  prejudices,  he  had  put  the  Spanish  troops  on 
the  footing  of  the  French,  with  regard  to  their  pay,  it 
surely  was  passing  strange,  as  he  thought,  that  under 
these  circumstances  he  and  his  companions  should  be 
guests  so  unwelcome,  nay,  should  meet  with  so  much 
and  so  ill  concealed  hostility.     He  felt  it  keenly. 

Ulloa,  a  kw  days  after  his  arrival,  had  sought 
information  from  Aubry,  as  to  the  resources,  the  wants, 
and  the  character  of  the  province  he  had  come  to 
govern.  From  certain  expressions,  which  perhaps  had 
dropped  imprudently  from  the  French  governor,  and 
from  a  perusal  of  the  documents  to  which  he  was 
allowed  access,  Ulloa  drew  conclusions,  which  may 
explain  his  subsequent  acts,  and  some  of  the  reproaches 


r-OA. 

onerous 
bligo  Ms 
ards  had 
lion  they 

for  the 
,  on  the 

for  the 
>o  intro- 
licli  had 
II  Ulloa, 
3  relieve 

to  keep 
ich  as  it 
3  known 
place  in 
1  usages 
is  letter 
ince,  in 
lis  duty 
r  to  he 
remove 
oops  on 

l>iiy,  it 
t  under 
lould  be 
3  much 

sought 
!  wants, 
3nie  to 
ips  had 
^r,  and 
lie  was 
h  may 
•oaches 


CHARACTER   OF    THE    INHABITANTS.  165 

licsllav'^  T  ''''-      "^   ''''    '''^'^   ^-   the 
earliest   day   of    the    existence   of  the   mlnnv     r..^ 

Lamothc     Cadillac     to     D'Abbadio      „li'^'„|,"°S 
governors    and   high   dignitaries   had    repre    ntod 
nhj*,tants  as  a  set  of  reprobates,  infeid  ™Uh  to" 
rciMou.  sp,ru    of  rc,n,hlka,mm ;    that   it    had    been 
without  interruption,  the  urev  m'  i„*    .■       ,  ' 

one   iialf  of  th„   e  '  ^        intestine  dissens bns, 

otlior,  and  tLt  ^^y^Z^^Z'^.:!!:^:^ 
in   accus  nxT   each   othm-   ^e  *\  imng— tliat  is, 

™p.io.  an     ^u'^^.lZr^^^:-^ 
record,  under  the  liand  and  seal  of  1,1,,.  !,i 
through  a  long  series  of  years     ha      "'■,  '•"=''«'^"'''*«.«' 
the  words  of  i)'Abbadio  „  ./         /■     Louisiana  was,  m 

Laving  said  one  word  in  o^tcnur,  o7  "' steetr 
condemnation,  had  o-iven  V\W.  tr.  ' /"^  ^^\ccping 
It  ,  fe'*^'i    Ulloa   to   understand     tlmf 

between  the  perversity  and  the  insubordinatio ,  wl  el 
prevailed  ,„  ,l,e  past,  and  that  which  existed  in  h 
present,  there  was  no  perceptible  -liirer  ,"  i  t  " 
was  not  enough,  Kerlcree,  who  was  still  detained  n  t  ' 
Bas  e  wrote  to  Ulloa  a  letter,  in  which  he  gave  "la 
igli  ful  picture  of  Louisiana,  which  he  had  a  h  .  s! 
le  od  t™  years,  and   he  concluded,  saying :  Fro    "The 

n  miwl  !,  .      1  he  .Su],erior  Council,  the  kin.r's  attornev 

ti'ir    wealth,    occupied    a    high   position,   had   those 
enemies  whom  men,  un.ler  such  circumst mce     T,o 

i:y'e;;;r::t\r"" ""''"'"'  "^^  soneraScX 

eitencc'of -ed^o,        "'"'!""""  "™""«  fr""'    '!'« 
nisience  ot  ical  or  supposed  wrongs.    These  and  other 

malcontents,   who   are   always  to°be  found    in  c'" 

co,„„,un,ty,  poured  also  their  denunciations  lllto   tl^I 


I       if 


U  I 


i     I 


i 


:t 


16C 


i;imhakuassmi;nts  or  tiii:  <j()vi:h\mi,m 


h» 


t 


oars  ofUlloii,  upon  nliosr  miiul  and  1 
■H'cct 


<'Mij)('r  il  JH  {>asy  Ut 


(•onc'ive   (h,>  cll,.ct    |)r(„I„c,.,|    |,y    11,,.,^    i„ro,,nat 


coupled  willi  wlial    h»>   liad 


lona. 


lis  arrival 


seen  and  experienced  since; 


If  Ifjloa  could  not  take  possession  of  the  colony,  I 
the  causes  aIr«Nid>  known,  the   I''rencli  anil 


IK)  lon<rer  the  means  of 


carryni<r  on  tin?  old 


because  t!i(>y  had  been  informed  by  the  Vrend 


J,  lor 

lorilies  lind 

i-ovcTumenl, 


tl 


lilt  their  drafts  on  the  Tr 


e.\p(Mises,  would  no  loiiin.r  | 


1  mmistry, 
easury  of  I'V.-ince,  for  colonial 


th 

oven   those   lli(<y  hud  (.Jveii  to  meet  tl 


icce|)le(|.     Not  only  Avcjn? 


y  nol  permilte.l  lo  issue  any  f.ullKT  drafts,  I,ul,  al 


so. 


years  ITtJI},  17(ii,  ITG.l,  had  been  kept  in  al. 
the  Freiicii  «rov(>rnment,  on  the  ^n-ound  thai  th. 
had  be 
altl 


le  expenses  of (he 
b 


come  Spanish  since-  the  v«'ry  day  of  tl 


louirh  in 


^\ 


i^pamards 


had  d( 


lycHl  ti 


md  that  the  l-nMich  had  only  :ulminister(«(l  as  t 


on  tl 


10  account  and  lor  the   benefit  of  S 


•yjince  hy 

'  province 

10  cession, 

ikin«r  j)ossossi()n  ; 

nislees. 


foro,  that   pouor  was  bound   to 


ma(l(U)y  the  I'nMKli  autlioril 


pjiin  ;   w  hero- 
pay  all    the;  expens<!.s 


of 


los.     'J\)  reli(>ve  the  oflj 


bis  Most   Christian   iMajesly  from   tlu-ir  end 


cers 


monls,  and  the  colony  from  tln>  state  of 
it  h;id   bcM'ii   reduced   I>y    ihis  d 


)arrass- 


mis(>ry  to  nhicli 


court,    Ull 


eeision    of  the  ]• 


nt 


,    Ulloa   ii;rr,.,.d   to   loiin    to    l'\)ucault   tl 


reiich 


cossary  to  (liscli;ir<r(>  some  of  tl 


a^    moiK' 


le  most  i)ressin<>-  o|,|i. 
1  government   before 


gat  ions  conlracted   by  flu-    I'V(>ncl 
bis  cominnr  to  the  cdony,  and   assunuMl  to  lake  (or'll 
iicconnt  of  Spain  all  the  ,>xpenses  of  the  adminislraiio'„ 
«ince  tlu.  .,lh  <,f  March    ITdfi,  when    he   had   lande<l 


New   Orl 


(^an.- 


( 


at 


ommissary  I'oucaull 


tion 


,  and  al 


ornor   Aubry    and    Ih,.    Jnteiidant 
grcMlily  ass(>nl(-(!  lo  ihis  projmsi- 


Mcll  as  the  ral 


10  j)ul)hc  lunclionaries  and  the  troo() 


oti 


ions  uiven  to  the  Acadian 


as 


lor  oxj)(-nses,  were  |)rovi(led   for  out  of  tl 


ind  all  lh(> 


treasury,  as  if  l^llou  had  taken  formal 


le  Sj)aiiis!i 
possession.     It  was 


COJlllKRfiAl,   l>l;<ii|:i;. 


IfiT 


nnll.n-  ,„,,l,.,-»l,„„|   ,|,„|,  ,.„„„|,|„,i„„  „„„   ,1,,^   ,,,.„„ 

:;7'!;:i'."''"'^«'"';v-'-''H".MoHH.,iic.,,,!J'f 

'' "'"  :!"'■' ■•".  "hid.  i„„i  ii„-,.,i,.„  .,1  „  „,„„  „ 

".M'<nh,m-  ,„„„io„.     Ullo.  co,n,„„n,i..l,  ,„„l  A,l   y 

i    't::''".^ ;''l' ■-- H.  ,K.,Kl,  Jn,:  UkmZ 

"<•  ■nm      I  Ik.  |,,,^,|,,,„  „|-||,„ 

•      -ll.Mllclul     ,.,„,,  ,„„„«.,     „     „|„vis|,     S,„T,..,,I,„-     „rrl„. 

■yll,     Prcnd,  ,„„|  S| «|,  ,„„l„H„i,..s  «.,.,„s,„  ,  V 

>"">     'I.      Wlu,!    ,.|s,.   ,.„„l,l    l,,.,v,.  I,,.,,,  ,1,,,,,/     „||,,. 

oon,|,n„„,s„    l,H,v,.,.„   ,|„.   i,v„,   it  is  ovi,l,.„t   ,Uu    To 
govrninunt  .-..111,!  !„„,■  s„l,wst,.,| 

<)"  -I..'  (ill,  „r,VI„y,  ll„.  S|.„„sh  «ov,.r .„t  i«s„,.,l  a 

'"."'"■"^ "'"  '■'•' '"i-M-s ....1  i.: AMu.ril „  ; ^" 

'X'    in    S piuiish    sliins     froni     O-imrm^         r 

,.     '  I         ■'•'iM     V  <ii,ic(,<i,s.         1  ()    i)r<<v<Mif 

"."/^«lMW  .n,d  ,,,l,n-   fhuuls,   M„.re   w,,s   ,,,   I,,.';    , 

-  artulcs  „l|,„,.,i  , ,,„,„,,.     Tl,.„.,.«i„        ; 

'I  fiv.MKT  .,.,,1.  ,„  |„.  |„i,|  , II  „,|„„,,„i,„„.     ,,,,.2 

rrir:\  '''■•■"'■';•"•"'•'''''' ''''-'•■■".i--ti""»o 


jf 

i 

S  ! 

t  ! 

i 

i 
■  ■  1 

■t 

•i' 

v:i 


168 


ANEcnorn. 


Ill    !!] 


[        ] 


I         ■! 


!:  i 


SI      •• 


After  1 


i.iviii<r  made  (liis  d( 


to  visit  the  several  posts  and  settl 


cre(;  (niMic,  Ulloa  departed 


to  those  <'stul»liHlimeiils,  ( 


(•ments.     In  relat 


ion 


|)iil)lislied   in  F-oiidon  in  1770,  on  the  I 


i|><<'"iii   I'itniaii,  in  his  work 


ments  on  the  Mississippi,  relates 


-urojK>an  settlo- 


of  tlu-  stat«'  of  IJiintrs  and  in 


an  anecdote  illnstrati 


V(; 


'V\ 


US 


aimers  e.\istin<r  at  the  time 


settlement    (()peh)nsas)    was   mad 


"Jinder  the   direction  of  Mons.  I)\\l,l,a(li.>,  in  tl 


said   lie 


176;{,  and    was 
Pel 


had  I 


jrovcrned   by  a   I'rcuich  o(H 
«M-in,  nil   ih,.  your   I7(>7,  when  th.'inhal 


le  y(>ar 
<'cr,  named 
)itants,  who 


).>cn  oppress.d  hy  tli(«  tyranny  which  has  been  al 


ways   e.\<-rte«l   by  oljicers  of  that   nat 


ontposts,  com|)Iain(Ml  to  Don  Ant( 


Aubrv 


KHi  commandiriiT 
Ull 


oiiiode  Ulloa  and  Mons. 


I 


tiav 


,   accnsino-    him    (I>el(>rin)   also   of  sacrile.ro    1 


lo 


iii^r  forcibly  taken  possessicm  of  the  plate;  destined 


to  the  nso  of  the  altar,  and  nsed  it  at  I 


und 

his 

inhabitant 


lis  own  tabl(> 


er 
riii 


pretence  of  ke«>pinnr  it  i„  .security.     'I'his  worked 
n  more  elVectiially  than  his   ill  treatment  of  tl 


tion.     IIowev(>r,  I 


and  lu;  was  tlireatem>d  with 


le  was  pmiish(>(l  by  imder"-oi 


lo 


cxcommiinica- 


penances  enjoiiic-d  by  the  pri(>sts,   and  nMideivd 
pable,  by  a  sentence  of  a  conrt  martial  of  l''rencli  o/l 
ol  any  employiiKMit  military  or  civil.     Tl 


m  s(>verc 


()(  this  s(>ttlem(>nt  was  aft 


to  be  chosen 


themselves.     One  company  of  militia  was  al 


lor 


tl 


inca- 

icers, 

10  <fovermnent 

erwards  vested  in  a  nja<ristratc 

rom   anioii'T 

so   rais(Hl 


innually  by  the   inhabitants  f 


received 


10  dvienc(>  of  the  (>stablishin(>nt,  and  the   oil 


pay  h-om  the  Spanish  i;ov(>riiin(Mit." 


leers 


On  the  (51  h  and  7tli  of  S<  -tenil 


)er,  a  score  of  soldiers. 


with   fixed   bayonets,  and  preceded   by  a  drum,  wl 
solemn   and  loud  boatin.r  attracted  tl 


lose 


10  attention   and 


cxcitvd  the  aii-erof  tlu,  inhabitants,  paraded  the  st 


of  New   Orl 


ro(>ts 


Anbry,   an   oidinan 


oans,    and   j)roclaiinod,    by    the    ord,«r   of 


Ullo; 


oo,    which    had    been    dictated    1 


,    HI    conformily    with    the    instructions    he    I 


lad 


;lifi 


!!,r 


COMMEIU'IAL    UECilLATIONN. 


109 


roco.vod  frc.u  Spain,     ft  containod  eo„„„orc,ial  rerjula- 
ioMs;  and  ann.n^r  oth.Ts  tl„.  followin^r  :-_i',,.nc,h  sl.ip.s 
Imd  W  t(.  I,nn^r  f,,,,,,  Ma,.,i„i,,,„  and  St.  Don.in.'o 
w.no,  flonr,  and  oil,,.,-  snppli,...,  p,,,vi<l,.d   thj  carried 
l».-.clv  n,  rrtnrn  ll.o  hnnluM-  and  other  pn,dn,-ii.,n,s  of  ihc 
colony.     laHsport.s^^,.r(,  to  \n^  ^y.n   to    l^rrnrl,   ships 
<'.viH>rtn,.r  Iron,  the  kin^chun  of  Franc,  th.  nu-rchandiso 
T\    '•^'""';,    ■^"I'l*"'^''^     .H-cossary    to    l.,nisi;,na  ;     |,„t 
"■•"•••••as, '   saal    th,-    ordinanr..     "th.-s.    pcnnissions 
''.•'v<«    lM-<n    ^n-anted    only   with  a   view   to    UvuviU   the 
•"''•■">'<antH  of  the  colony  ;  a,.d  whereas  the  merchants 
l.avo  asked   lor  their  .ro,„ls,  and  partienlarly  for  their 
wmrs,    a_n    extra<M-dinary    pric,    and    have   Vehised   to 
ror<Mvo   n,  payn.ei.t  any  other  currency  than    doMars 
H Inch  pretension  is  ve.7  preiudi<-ial  to  the  inhabitants; 
now    m    c(u.s,.,nence    of  the    orders    of    his    Catholic 
Majesty,  addressed  to  Mr.  de  I'lloa,  and  I>y  him  con- 
;•""-■'<;;'    ;«>    "S    -<•,    IMnlip   Aul>ry,  .Vc,   &c.,  have 

''';"^'V  ;■"'"'""  "^"''""  ''•'""  «t.J)omin..o,as 
-II  as  (ronM.-ance,  and  provHh.i  with  a  p.ssporrn;an 
-c.xce!h.ncy,UH.  secretary  of  state  ,>fiHs'(-alhoIic 
Mnjesy  (for  olu,.rwise  they  w(Md<l  not  he  a(hnitf,.d 
H.to  the   colony),  shall   he   honnd,  on  tlu-ir  arrival,  to 

present  themselves  to  Mr.  do  l^loa,  with  their  hdls  of 
Imlin-r  and  passports,  and  are  prohibited  IVon,  nnloadin-r 
ill'y  port.on  of  their  .oods  without,  beforehand,  obtain". 
^^  ns  pernnssion,  M.  wntin.,  at  the  bottom  of  their 
p.-ortsorlnllsolIadin.;and 
^K.d.  a.o  also  on^^^^^^^^^ 

M  .  dc  Ulloa,  and  to  hn-n.sh  him  with  a  not(,  indicating 
tl'o  price  at  wh.ch  they  intend  to  sell  their  jroods,  which 
||oods  shall  be  examined  and  appraised  by  nnp:.-4 

tice     r 
tl'c    ...ces  (hMnandc-d  be   excessive,  the  own.M-s  of  the 

goods  siKdl  not  be  allowed  to  sdl  them  here,  and  sh  I 


1.' 
! 


1  ;  S      i- 


'  I 


r^ 


f&ilB 


170 


RKMO!VSTUA!Vri:s    OF    Till;    Mi:u»  HANTS. 


i 


I  IF 


»»o  obi.ffod  to^ro  to  a„oth(>r  n,ark(L  The  n.rrcl.ants 
-■^l«.-.II  l.(«  iumiul  to  rocoivc  tlu,  r.irrriuy  of  tin,  counlry  in 
payin.Mt  lov  tl.rir  o<,o(Ls,  and  t.>  tako  oiu-.third  of  thoir 
r(>  urn  cari-o  i.,  i-nnbor  and  othc-r  product.ons  of  the 
colony.' 

A  sn(l(!,.n  jar  in  a  bcoliivo  avouM  not  have  produced 
more   bnz/.n^r   and   slirrin.  than  d.d  tl.is  ordinance   in 
INow  Orleans.     Altbonoh  it  seems  to  l.ave  b,>en  !ran,ed 
•n  the  interest  of  the  cnr.suuiors,  yet  it  certainh  was  a 
severe   blow   to    the    importers,    and  they    resent(<d    it 
.'IS  sneh.     On  the  8th  of  September,  two  days  after  its 
promnliration,   the    nM-rehants   of  Nvav    Orleans,  in    a 
body,  presented  to  the  Snperi..r,  Conneij,  ihron.rh  the 
nttorney  uencral,  J.afreinere,  a  petition,  in  whieh  thev 
I>c-r,,    that   the  execution  of  vVubry's  decree.'  Ik,  sus- 
1><^"^  ed,  until  they  should  be  heard  on  the  subject,  and 
sued  for  the  groT.t  of  a  delay,  to  prepare  their  r.«mon. 
stranees,  winch  were   sid.mitted  to  the  council  on  the 
l^tli;  and  also  all  tli.    captains  of  ships  in  the  colony 
presented  a  document  of  the  sam(^  nature. 

The  remonstrances  of  the  merchants   and  captains 
were  founded  on  the  beli.-f  of  the  existence  of  c(>rtain 
restrictions   imposed   on   tlu>  government  of  Spair.  i,y 
trance   when  she  ce.led  Louisiana.     The  conunissary 
l^oucault  seemed  to  have  been  himself  under   a  similar 
impression  ;   for  on  the  2i)th  of  Sc^ptember,   he  wrote 
o  the  nnm-t,.r  of  the  marine  deparlment:  "  It  has  not 
been    the    intention    of    his    majesty,   on   makimr    ,I,o 
cession,   to  strip,  for   the   be.u^lit  of  Spain,  his  "loyal 
sut)jects  of  the  privileges  and  exemptions  which  they 
had  always  enjoyed.     I  beg  your  excellency  to  transmit 
o  us  the  i.ecessary  orders,   to  confirm  the  subjects  of 
the  king  in  the  belief  that  they  have  suffered  no  dimi- 
nution   of    the    advantages   granted    to   them    by    his 
majesty."  ^ 


noi  IITS   AS    I,,   TIIK   A.V   OF   (russK.N.  I71 

TI,o  ,,o,iii,„„  ,,i,,  ,,„,•„,„  „„,  „„,„„.,,  ,^^^^^  ^^^ 
"I  '".     A  ^  .,l,i,l  <l,.cl,i,-,il,ou  mad..  I,y  Auhrv,  il,„t    „„ 
;•'■""="""•    '-   » »-l-"<l    .1.0    o.v,.,.,u.io  ,    o"  • ,  ' 

.1  .^l"i;.".  "I"  10  thus  o„„.    i;„  „„„,,,,,  „ ;,„„,^  I  ,™ 

.-■,,   havo   co„„.    I„„    f,.w  F,-,.,„.|,   .ships,   a,,.!    ,1 
of  «n.a.  as»,s,a„.o,  l,v  f,„.„isl,i„,,  „    „„!,  /l„„r,  „r„    id" 

H.U  .Mty  of  g,v,n.  „o,|,i„„  ,,„(  ,i,„  ,„  ,|,^  ,^,  « 

to  the  oth,  r  |,ors,.„s  cnlith.d  to  rali.m,  -  ' 

t  sconis  a«  il-  „othi„s  -""l.l        ,vi„cc  the  colonics 

Ml,,,  cession  ol  r.ou,sia„a  to  .-Spain  was  serious  nnd 
u>nc  us,ve.     Ye,  they  ,„„st  have  been  prepared  li>r    t' 

y     he   iransnnssion    of  laUf  of  the   t,lrri„ry   to   ,h„ 

Wocld  |.ra„ee   hav,.  ahandone.l  .so  rich  a  portion   of 

».M.     \\,,s   ,t  not  to  the  kuowle,I,,e  of  all,  that  the 

;-u  ;  J.ver„„,ent  l,ad  refused  ,o",eeept  h^'lH;^ 

7         Tir  ■'-''■'"'"  ,"'  ""^  -I"-  J-in^'  the  years 

«<•■■«  to  he  pa,d  !,y  Spain  !     Was  ne,l  ,l,en  the  ces"i™t 

thee,,     ,  „,,  no,  rvance  hold,,,,,  r.oni.siana  onl-  ,s  a 

•mro  II...,.  u        1  .    '^^^'>^''^d»'  '"'"•;'  more  import- 

ance liKtn  u  really  had,  and  looked  upon  .t  as  a  sort  of 


.:    ":   fl 


R 


'    Vl-li 


t      H 


W^i 


h-1 


nl' 


17i> 


noniTN  AN  TO  Till,:  ;^,  ,.  ,„, 


<'l;SNU»!V. 


^lii^Mi;.  Clijirfii,  hiiuliii^r  ,,„  j|„.  I, 


<"i<,'  of  S|»;iiii,  wliilsl   ii 


"''••"•"••"^'    <IU«      illll!||.i(!,„(s     (.(•    I 
|»lll((>«l  (III  III  iiiidri-    (li,.  ,1 


niiicc. 


'•>IIIMi!illil     (hilt     lie     liiiil 


Jliul    hv    huprd    lliiil     |„s    Ciilhul 


miii.ilioii  of  Spiiiii,  toM  il 


K'iri 


I'liii  tli<-in  in  th 


M    M 


•.r^i.v  \v(Mii(i  iiiiiiii. 


Vllc^rrs,  IIIkI   would   IM.'d 


<'  "•M.|<'vmri.l   „r  iill    (hrir  i-mhlsai.d 


tluufiH  I.)  uliirli   II 


!<<'  no  MinovMlion   jn  ||, 


|.n- 
<•  order  of 


•<'V  w.iT  !!(•(  iis|<Mnrd,  iind  in  the  |, 


«<»  Hliirh  Ihrx  |,,<|  .-iKviivH  iMvn  s.d.|(<(.Ml 
"'"•  l>«'  li;i(l   no   ,,(!„.,.  ,,|,i,,,.,    ,1,.,,;   ,, 


nvM 


I"*  <"i|i|);ii«'nl 


l)ilt< 


I""   uliicli   (lu'v    li.id    ( 


'•■'I   '>r  ^ildnnr  III 


folonisM   li.nl   I 

<l<»ii!ilioii  Mild  .•irc,.|)(i,li(.ii,  niid'il 

<l<><-nnn<nls   oiiirjii    (o    | 

f«'Hsi<.n    Mils     \m(Ih,„( 

very   IcUrr  on   wliidi   1 1 


<>   sw.illow 


i{ 


«'^l<l('S,     IIm! 


"■''""""'''  ''"•<|""'"l""<l   "illi  (hr   ;.clM    (.f 

ir  ninr  |i(>ins;il  ojlliosj- 

i!iv(>    convinced    iheni    tlml    |||,. 


i'<'ser\e    i)ii<l     condilioii. 


'I'll 


••^■oiis   .'ind    reiiionMlriiiiees   Inid    I 


icy   \vcn>    hjisin-'-    1 1 


K'll"     |MT(en- 


n'llCll    Idiin    lo  ,„,,,    ,,|| 


»i'<"ii    iiddrcMsed    l.\    III, 


<lilU)iiid  :ili(<iiiili()ii  (»r  III,.  ,.,d 

^VJIS    not    il    |)i|l|y    |,»    |!,;,|,     j„,.| 

1 


iH  o\\n  olli,':.rs,  iiCh-r  ||„.  , 


iticon- 


H^  .^nplM.scd  <o  know  (d'ils  ,vMsf 


'•".v.      Tlie  Kiiiir  ,,(•  S| 
'■iinienl,  iind   could  noi 


t.ini 


c\<'n 


XM'll      o 


lliciiilh 


ni(>r(>!v 


(I 


,in,nr    ,,(•    |,',.,,„ 


'""<•<••        M'lci-illl,    |,;,d    il 

•■*"""•"'"";•"'•<'.   '••     l"in,    i(    coiiliiiiie.l 
<"<    on    the    |)i,i|    of   III,. 


K'    c\|)ression    of   u  jsli 


">",i!;IH  ii«»l  lake  iiil 


<•'',    which   Ihe   Kin-/   o|'  S 


<>  <'<)nsideiM(ioii.     'I'll 


|»;iin   inii,r|i(    or 


iiol  b,.  c(Mislnied   inio   ini| 

""    <li<>   Spiinisli    .roveniincnf,  and  'i\ 

o«)nsti(nl,.    nohis.    of   ^^j|iH|   ih,.   col 


<»sc  wishes  conid 

•••Sllll,^     illiy    hindilll^r     ,,hllnil||(,|| 


Ihcnisclv 


cs. 

(I 


Nrvcrthcl 


icn>ror(.  could  iiol 

OllisIS     <(.|||d     jnjlil 


«<ss,    illtho.ioh      ih,.y    ,.,„d,|     ,„,| 


;;'■••""   .•'iiUh.nu   of  ,/../,/,   am/   in   law,  I 
'•';>ich  kmn's  lelle,  lo  D'Ahhadie,  v(>(   \\ 


relied 
niak 


oil  11,  ///  njaifi/,  iis  liavinij 


>y  virlne   of  Ih,. 

K'.V    ininlll    Ili|V(. 


the  Iv 


'I'f^  -•111   iippcill    1,,   1|„.   ir,.,„.,.„silv    iuid 


i:  some  moral  fore,.,  w|„.„ 


n\ir  ol  Spain. 


«ii!i;Linaniniilv  of 


^^  hilst  (ho  colonii^t 


^^wero  in  thai  stale  ol'evcitemeni 


IP 


III 


NWI.rKK.N    III.'    |.'|.|.„,j. 


I7;i 


,'""" '"",  ^;:"-  "•■i"""» i-iMi- ;„■  ii„.  n„i„i.  i„ 

'"     '""',«' "•    ""■'■<    ll„.   .S|„„,Ml,    „ ,,,   „.|„rl, 

I'^i;'"" '"'-■■ k.i.n.Nv,Mi,,.  .J„,ii,  : , 

l'="    -  l„„,„.,„„.,|  ,|„.  ,,,,,„         |!,„  wl„.„  ().■„,  I 

,,„,,i,,.,v,.  ,,„,,,„„ I.   „r,N„„.0|.|i™        ,' 

'''"'""■■''  ""'-I"   I'.V   "il „■  ilr -v  „,,i,i  „,■  |„^„,      ' 

i::'"'"' ■■T.'in.,„i.ii,. „.,,,,:„„: 1>, 

"'."";, ;■"■"'■'!  '^""v„- M.ii  ii„.  iki„v,i  1,1, i,,„i  ,„ ,: 

-'■"'•'I  I'";  ii......  w,,H  „,„.|,,  ,i,,„  ,,„„„,.  ,|,„„  livi.  „,„„„„ 

;;"V""' TT'^' '^^ '" "' ' '- ''•'•H-.  !"•  i.mM,ii<™ 

""    "  '■!■  "'"'•''  ■•""""iHh'.l   ll,.„,  „„  „,„,|i,  ,i,„|    ,|„.i" 
'■'■"'■"""V"  '■""•■  >"  l"-"|."r,i„„  ,„  , ,„„i,     „,„,.,,  ,1     • 

l...vohi   (;„y„,,-,.    „n.l    N„van-o  li,„|,  ,ih,.n,at„|„  „„,| 
»  .T,.Ms,v..|v     v,s,„.,|    ,|„.i,.    el,i|.f  ,11   III.    li,i|i,,,/,,„" 

•".|H  »,.,.„  ,11,., ,  i„  „  ,  ,v „,„„ : ._,,._; 

I      ,.     1),,,    thos,.   „,i„.,„,,  I i„„„,.n.,|  i„  „,',„„„„„, 

wlM,.l     liiiil    |,,,n.„.|    ,i,„,    „||„„„,|    „||   ., 

i'"ns,.ii|„ii,i,i,v,»i,„,iiii„„,mi„  „„iij  ■;,„,„,, ;^ 

'•"'r'''', '''i''''''''.'nio,,,Hi,,,„i,i,,ik,,p,„,i,i,;,,'; 

"I  the  cil.Miy  ,„  t|„,  |i,Uizo,ai„l  timi  il,„  I'rcch  (I,i,,  l,„ 


( 

i.  ' 

) 

.  1 

I 

'I      ri 


'II 


iff  r 
.1  ^  !  (' 


?Hi 


niOPt.sITIOX    OF    UI.LOA. 

Withdrawn,  to  bo  succeeded  by  the  Spanish  l\...    This 

p.-opos,t,„„    .surprised   a„d   e,ub.-„-,,,ssed   Aubry,    t]^ 

observed  that  the  iuhabitauts,  and  even  the  J;J„, 

«l,o  wore  ,n  the  colony,  woul.l  be  astonished  if  s,  ch  a, 

out  o  tlie  «ay  place  were  chosen  for  the  tl.catre  o '  so 

..nportant  a  ceremony.     He  ren.onstrated  that  i    was 

proper  that  ,t  should  be  performed  with  all  the  re    hX 

.oom,,   and  d,gn,ty   in   the   capital    i.self,   and  Tn       e 

presence  ol  all  the  inhabUants,  w  ho  would  con  e   o  ,a  ," 

then-  oat,  ol  allegiance,  and  who  ,vould  assure  hin,     f 

Majesty  Hut  Ulloa  persisted  in  ids  proposition  and 
although  ,t  seemed  singular  to  .\ubry,  I  , is  officer  aft« 
son,c  d,fhcult,es,  finally  consented  to  it.  Accor  1,  d  . 
the  evenmg,  an  instrunient  was  .Irawn  in  writi.^/'bv 
winch  Aubry  declared  that  he  bad  delivered  ,  mthe 

ar  S  oVtt%  "'T'"""'  "^  S""'™-*.  ""til  ; 
ciriival  ot  the  Spiimsh    troop,^.      This   dociininnt    «., . 

s.gned  by  these  two  Ingb  fuLtionaru..!.;'  .,";': 

«.e  nc.U  mornn,g,   whicl,  was  tbe  time  fi.ved  f^- ',bo 

fo  mal  takmg  possession  ofl.ouisiana  bv  the  Span  ard 

Ulloa  declared  .bat  he  had  rellectcd  dur  ng  the  ni.,     o ,' 

what  had  been  done  the  ,lay  previous,  and  that  I  c  now 

thought  that  ,t  would  be  bettor  to  postpone    he    "u 

emplated  ceremony,  until  tl,e  arriv'd  of  the  S  ,„, 

troops ;    but  that  although   the  ■en,.an.on„,,t  tb  ■ 

concluded   together   luu^not  been"c™       t'ed       ,. 

would  send  a  copy  of  the  docun.ent  they  l,a,l  s  .  e  I  to 

h.s   court    an,I  that  Aubry  might   do   the   sa,  u    wi 

n-gard  to  Ins  government,  should  h<.  deem  it  n     es'a 

Uik,-ins,   Ulloa   re<iuested   bun  to   order   the    French 
commander  at  the  J.alize  to  pull  down  the  IVen.  I 

dc"sire°i  °'lul""  ^'"'■''^"' »'"--'■  '"-.  ""oa'shl!    ; 
dcsne  it.    Aubry  ac<|u,esced  m  this  reiiucst,  and  went 


SOJOURX   OF   ULLOA   AT    T„E    BALIZE.  I75 

back  to  New  Orleans  •  vvlior«    ^     *i       i- 

indignation  of  ^.i^x.o'iJz'i:;:^  r! 

occurred  between  Ulloa  ami  1,1,,   nr       i  '""■ 

account  of  u  to  tl.e  IWh  court     '  "      '""  "  """"'"" 

co";r„::'c  ^c7z:7r'  ""^---o-  ^.t 

eve.  i„  the  de  t    of ,  e  ;„       IT  7"7  T""^' '""' 
miserable  .bed  at  the  1,1'?'  ?  '"'f  ^"'T^'^  "P  '"  » 

was  not  a^   object  of  "  fficV^t      ■"  ""'"  "  '"'''"'"'y 

Wbaliver  liis^.o  eL  '  K  '  "  ",  ^"'^  ■'''°«  "■"■>• 
the  ibrtitude  whic  lffl"'n,,!  V'""'''"™''"  ■■"""^«'  »' 
remained  so  lo,,g  at  .  ch  •     no,    'h  """^T:"'  '°  ''"" 

i;-;.^,  ^^o;vc„'dd,:t:.r:;at"^/i  ;:n^,';i: 
r  :Hr -f  ^^^^^^^^ 

""'  -'""y  .soa.o,„  on  tbe'»lu  „;  ile,  drL:  /,  "7° 
mud  and  amidst  the  reeds  of  ,"1,!  !  I  "°  "'<> 
<ii«si„„i  >     '!•!  ,  "'"  "lontli  of  the  Mis. 

S'^-    p.  I     Ihose  «ero  the  reflections  and  inquiries 

;'"«"^l' •■•  ".nn-l  as  that  of  Ulloa  carried  wi,  i ,  Usnif 
a  world  ol  enjoyments,  which  few  <!reamed  „       Tl 

the  world,   for.rw  i    r    .  1,        • '  •^""^:'  ^'^'^^  "l^^»-t  ^i-<>'» 
^^  "lauicuhitjcal,  astronomical,  and  other 


i'    ■  f     !i 


■'  H 


I 


17G 


sojoru.v  oi-  n.roA  at  tih;  hai.izf;. 


scuMKilir   inslninuM.fs;  juul  wIkmi   HumMMid,.,!  I)y  tl 
he  could  1)1(1   (l(>(i;mc(<   to  tlio  ctuTs  of  oflic,.   to  t 
its(«ll,    and   lo    the    other   loid    iicnds  whici 
inankiiid.     Hi;  Uody  was  at.  Ww    \h\\ 


lieu: 
inie 


IS  (hdlised  throu<rh  spare  and   throii<r|,  fj 


What   did    he    care   for    tl 


»   persecute 
'hze,  hut  his  mind 


le  universe 


shriek 


inir 


i(!   nioanin<r   hmmIs,   for    tl 


winds,  (hr  the  pilil,.ss  storms,  for  tl 


!(• 


le  roarinir 


waves,  r,»r  the  totterin^r  shcltc-r,  for   th(,  hnmhle  ahod 
ior  th(<  dark  h.ce  of  natnn>  f     Could  he  not  li..| 


1  el 


lauiT,.   ,t  at  will!*     Had    |„.   not  tl 


wand  f    Had  he  not  Aladdin's  lam|)  f    Was  I 


)Iace   or   time?     Coidd    I 


It  it  up 

if^  enchanter's 

ho  eoidined 


creation    of  the   earth,   stiidv    it 
almost    chaotic    state,    and   Ibll 


><^    not    <,r„    |);,(.|^    ^^^   .J 


le 


"I    Ms  j»rimiliv<«  and 


infinite     moditicationis 
Could  lu!  not,  when  it 


•>w    It   u|),    throui-h    its 

to    its    present    orirani/.alion  / 

lis  i)Ieasure,  liv(>  jor  ,1;,^,^ 


SUlt(^ 


iiinon-  the  Persians,  the  l-:-yptiaiis,  the  (;re(.ks.  and 


Rom 


luis    of  old,    and    | 


Hirs 


ue     throuj^rh    cnturies    the 


niiijhty  revolutions  of  rmpir«.s-th,«  hirths,  th,.  sfru.^.rh^ 
and  the  deaths  of  nations  f     VonUl  hv  not  <live  into^I.e 
bowels  ot  the  earth,  to  nnel  in  its  mysteries^     ("ou|,i 
he   not,    on    the    win,<rs  of  imagination,  n.turn   to  the 
goroeous  sceneries  of  Pern,  or  to  tluvArahian  palaces  of 
^pam  ^     Could  he  not  sail  with  th,.  clouds,  to  mark  the 
forinat.onof  hjrhtnin^,  and  the  otlun-  prodi.ri,.s  of  th,^ 
air  /     Were  not  the  elements  his  companions,  holdin.r 
with   uui  such  converse  as  unlits  om^  f<,r  the  inane  talk 
and  lat  communion  of  man  /     Tow.«rin^r  far  ,i,„ve  the 
flight  ot   the  ea;rle,    could    he    not   ascend   amon.r  the 
phincts,  to  solve  some  great  prohhjm  of  the  Deity ,"or 

To  follow  fI.rouf.h  fl„.  nijrht  tl„.  moving  moon, 
1  he  stors,  niui  tlieir  (li'vclopmonls  ? 

Far  happier,  indeed,  was  ho,  the  gifted  son  of  science 
in  the  solitude  of  the  JJali/e  than   in   New   Orleans,' 


MAHRlACJi:    Op   tUxoA. 


177 


day,  and  ..,,,.;'7S  ^^^''Tll^"'  """""^  "'' "'" 
X.,     II  """",    in    the    rommori    est  mate    nf  th,. 

™™'t;;^r;^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^      »..' 

Il  ""■ins,  from  ,,nTral  oC  Aul.ry,  .L'snatrlir.  i|,,t   1„ 

; ,"""  '""."'  ""■'■".  "I-  l<-Hrni„.r,  H,„l  or  tal,.„„    l„    '■ ' 

<lrc.a,«l  to  hin,      h    '    ,  . '         '"' ■■''l>'-<'«'.ilat,„„»  ad- 
wl-  Lave  to  d'd  ilth  1,L  "  '''"™'"-""  *"  ""'«' 

12 


r  I 


178  LETTER   OF    THE    MARQUIS   OF  GRIMALDF. 


P  ■  ! 


■m 


"  Considering  the  change  of  government  which  the 
colony  has  to  uiidergo,  I  liad  wished  that  the  officer 
sent  to  assume  its  command,  had  possessed  the  art  of 
lAanagmg  the  public  mind,  and  of  gaining  the  hearts  of 
the  mhabitants.  Men  are  not  to  be  ruled  with  haughti- 
ness and  pride,  with  threats  and  punishments.  Marks 
of  kmdness  and  benevolence,  with  judicious  promises, 
would  have  been  necessary,  to  reconcile  the  colonists  to 
the  change  of  dominion  which  has  come  upon  them. 
This  was  the  only  course  to  be  pursued,  in  order  to  win 
the  affection  of  new  subjects,  who  regret  their  former 
master.  If  the  Spaniards  do  not  act  with  mildness,  and 
if  they  attempt  to  govern  this  colony  like  a  Mexican 
Presidio,*  most  of  the  inhabitants  will  abandon  their 
lands,  to  cross  over  to  the  English,  who  are  on  the 
opposite  side,  and  who  will  neglect  nothing  to  attract 
them,  in  this  way,  the  Spanish  portion  of  Louisiana, 
which  had  remarkably  increased  in  population  for  the 
last  few  years,  will  soon  become  a  desert."  He  con- 
cluded with  informing  the  French  Court,  that  the  mea- 
sures adopted  by  Ulloa,  were  not  calculated  to  give 
popularity  to  the  Spanish  government. 

In  relation  to  the  reproaches  which  were  addressed 
to  the  Spaniards,  as  to  their  delaying  so  long  the 
taking  possession  of  Louisiana,  and  in  relation  to  the 
expenses  of  the  colony,  which  France  wished  Spain  to 
pay,  back  to  1763,  the  Marquis  of  Grimaldi,  who  was 
a  member  of  the  cabinet  of  Madrid,  wrote  as  follows, 
on  the  11th  of  May,  170T,  to  the  Count  ofFuentes,  the 
ambassador  of  Spain  at  Versailles  : 

"  Ulloa  arrived  at  New  Orleans,  only  on  the  5th  of 
March,  17G6.  He  did  not  then  take  possession,  for  the 
motives  already  explained.      The  Duke  of  Praslinf  will 

*  A.fremdio  is  both  a  Spanish  nn.l  Mexican  establishment,  half  barrack,  aud 
half  jail  for  refractory  soldiers  and  uiifortiiiiate  convicts. 
t  One  of  the  lYench  Ministers. 


■1        t 


liich  the 
3  officer 
le  art  of 
learts  of 
haughti- 
Marks 
romises, 
>nists  to 
n  them, 
r  to  win 
r  former 
ess,  and 
Mexican 
)n  their 
on  the 
attract 
uisiana, 
for  the 
ie  con- 
le  mea- 
to  give 


dressed 
>ng  the 
to  the 
>pain  to 
lio  was 
follows, 
tes,  the 

i  5th  of 

for  tlie 

int  will 

iTacki  aud 


LETTER  OP   THE    MARQriS   OF   GRIWALDI.  179 

recollect  that  there  were  doubts  on  our  part  .s  to  fh 
acceptation  of   the   domfinn    ♦     i       ,  V    '       *"  "'^ 
Christian  Majesty      tt    Isthe""    '^   '"   '"^^^ 
had  made  France  be W  fn  A         ^^  ''^'°"'  ^^"^'^ 
sion,  prompted  Spai~ce^  ''  '''  ^^«- 

assent,  although  it  was  wdl  kl  '     f.    ""  ^'"'  ''  ^'' 

change  our  ordinary  way  of  proceeding,  and  to  r,n 
after  an  onerous  burden  ^     Thm   «Jr  i .  .1  " 

surprise  at  the  Duke  of  P^  ;^ '  '„  „ trr:,,:  °" 
may  bo  called  upon  to  pay  a„  the  e~; ''',;: 
colony,  from  1763,  when  the  cessioS  wa,  m.de 
trance  woul.l  have  as  good  grounds,  ,o  ask  us  .opt 
nj  her  expenses  in  Louisiana  si„,;e  its  fomdatfoY 
Wha  makes  this  pretension  still  more  singu laT if  la  ' 
from  ,|,e  ,|a,e  of  the  cession  to  Ulloa's  arri va   at'  New 

raent  of  all  the  commercial  ...vantages  of  that  colonl 
«h,ch  adva,,,ages  she  continues  to  c^njoy  to  the  prosem 
day  when  the  expenses  of  administration  are  not;:, 
he  s.    ^ot  a  single  Spanish  vessel  has  as  yet  cone  to 


I    II 

I     V 


ik  Ij 
■  ! 


I' 


yj 


I  ", 


180 


iitiTHiiN  or  ji;a\   mii,iii;t, 


I  ji" 


«>x|..>iis,.s  uliicl.  Iiiid  l)(>(Mi  inniin'd,  hcCon"  Sp-in  liad  «(•( 
luM-  loot  ill  thill  new  nosscssioii .'' 

"Thr  Killer,  nUviivH  n-iuly  (<>  nvoid  r.Mi.Miii^r  i|„.  |,.n,m 
|>«-«'.in(!irc  I,,  (ho  iiUnvHls  of  tli,.  [\1,,m(  Chiisli.in  Kin^r, 
Ins  (Muisiii,  uhhoii^rh  kiu.wiii^r  f,,,,,,  fh*;  hr^rinnin^r,  ||„a 
th(>  colony  whs  im  iiiiprotilnhlr  rhnroc,  iihhon;,r|,  Mr.  i\r 
I'lloii  was  j)n<vnil(>d  IVom  tiikiii^^r  poH.m-sHioii  o{'  il, 
thron^rh  tl,,.  ,,auj  of  co-opnntioiM.r  tho  Tivrirh  Iroons,' 
on  w  hich  W(>  had  hvvu  led  to  h.-hcvr  ihiil  wr  ,-oiild  ,vly' 
»«"l  nlthoiijrh  all  (|„>  comin.MTc  of  ih,.  rdo.iy  Ins  iu»l 
coasodio  Im.  in  tho  \iands  of  Ih,.  I-Vciuh,  ihr  Km-,  I  siiy, 
lias  di-rliiivd,  flint  lu;  uoiild  assiinu!  all  \\w.  .r\i)(.ns<..s 
ii!«-iirr(>d  Hincc  Ulloa's  aiTival." 

'['owards  th<<  ,.nd  of  tla>  yo.-ir  I7(>7,  .lean  Milhot 
n.tiinu.d  Iron,  rn.nr,',  uliith,.,-,  il  will  hv  n.co||,.ct(.d,  hr 
hiul  lM-(>n  s.  .It  as  a  dclr^rM,.  |»y  ij„.  colonists,  in  I7()5, 
to  ivmoiislijiti^  a<i:iiinst.  the  trraiy  of  ((.sMion  <►(•  |,,M,isi' 
ana.  Mis  lon^r  ahs«Mir,(!  hiul  conlrilnilcd  to  {'wil  the 
ho|M>s  of  his  iMIow  riti/,,.ns,  who  supposed  tlmt  he 
would  not  have  ivmained  away  lor  so  lon^r  „  time,  if  ho 
I'fid  not  se<Mi  a  liiir  prosp.Ht  of  siieeess  in  lii«  mission. 
|{nt  wluMi,  on  his  return,  liep.it  to  llioht  idl  tli(>  illusions 
with  whieh  (hey  had  (h«l.ided  themselves,  tli(Mr  exiispera- 
lion  reaeh,>d  its  elima.v,  and  they  did  no!  leiir  to  ^mv,.  u> 
nioii  an  open  manifestation  of  all  their  aversion  Twr  the 
Spanish  domination. 

Thus  closed  the  year  ITC.T.  Th.>  ITtli  and  ISth  of 
January,  l7(iS,  were  the  two  coId,-st  days  tlu^l  had  ever 
l>«"«;n  known  in  Louisiana.  All  the  orano..  tre<.s 
|»(M-ished,  a  second  lime,  throiiirliont  the  colony,  j.s  in 
17  IS.  In  front  of  New  Orleans,  the  riv(.r  was  fro/,>n, 
on  both  sides,  to  thirty  and  forty  fi-et  from  its  banks. 

The  riivor  *»f  the  s.nisoi.  did  jiol  divcM-t  tlu'  att(<nti.Mi 
oi  the  inhabitants  from  th(.  main  calamity  which  was 
impciidm^r  over  them,  and  the  Ihermoiiicter  of  agitation 


<)l 


l'I.M)A'H    TAs,,:s,    „A,„TN,    ^^„    DINPOMTfON.       181 

I  .'      '  iiH'ir    new    KovcriKu-    lnwl 

lM'('«)mn  coniploto.  a,"v.  mm.j     i,ml 

--I..ss.mMoIhmI.<.  a.lnlu,..ortlH,s..   Z    "^^^^ 

^'"•^ "'<•;■• 'I'-.y'^.'-wi  n,.i.,H  (o  s(u.iv.    II..  Hi      ,; 

;.ss(,r,;,f<.|  umI,    N,.,,,,.,,,    ujlh    P\.||«  s    f  •       ' 

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"'I'"'"";   '"«  I'l'"-  '"  l-nWi.  w,.,.,.  ,„„  „, r,t,„     . 

."■I"-""" "    I""    <l<'ln-., i„„    ,„    ,:,„,.',;,, 

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lo    roiishlriT,!    liiiiiHrir 


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<•  <<>iiiiiiiiiiilv  of  a  li< 


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III 


ic   liiiiy    well    Im<   n 


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«vv 


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H"  itir,  wliirli,  ns  ^\^^  |-,.,„| 


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III  n'tir,'iii,.|ii  wjiiliii^r  joi-  |»,.||,.|-  i 


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<>"  11,.,,., .,,,„„,,,,  „„.  I,,,,.  M„n.|,i,„„.„„  „r  Al„-,„|„ 

,, ;: ;;': ,'"; .v .i .i ,iv„„     • 

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™..»,»l,..  ,ii„-„.>s,.,„,„„l3,  |,r,„„|„,|  ,,,„,,„,„„,,,.  ,„„|  ,,,,„. 


'      1        i, 


184 


CWNVERSATIONAI.    PolVKKs  OF   tll.I.OA. 


siorailo  ul,u»(.,  l,y  8l,o«  in^  herself  i„  |,„|,lic,  all  „,M  l,v 

».H'..rnl  ,■«,„,«  Indian  ^,rU,  « l,„„,  „l„.  |,a,l  l„„n.rht  over 

».  1.  luT  fr„n,  I'crn,  wlnnn  she  .l-.h^ht-.l  t„  li:;,.||,,  a» 

.  or    av™-,l,.„,  and  „|„„„  „,,„  ,,^.,^„,j  ^^^^^^^^^^  ; 

th.,t  k„„    ,,l    lanuhanly   >vhich  is  u.,c.l  only  lo>var,l« 

«,nalH.     <)«„«  „.  ,1,,.  dr.nn,.tu„cc,  nn.ch  hia.no       s 

n,»n  upon  I,,,  n,  M„.  colony,  for /.,,„„.  /«  ,.„,„,„; 

Th,  1,.^  h"''  '■,"'"'  '"•  """>'"■'••"'"«  will.  «»/„„;,.,; 

Ih.  hauf-hty  snulo  an.i  ih,.  ,n,.mnK.n.,  «i,|,  ,vhi„|,  „„. 
ar,s,o.raln.,  Ia,ly  r,.,-,.iv«l  this  r,.|.or,,  ,vl,on  carrn.,1  , 
to  hor  ..ars,  ,.avc  s.ill  ,|,.,.|„.r  olll-nco  to  ih,.  connnnnily 

, .  ^"  '"""  •="'' "  '"<"-o  ™i,.rlainin«  il,a„  ll||oa,  in 

h  »  .no„,..n.,  of  relaxation.     Me  wa,  s,rri,h,lv  a .'v.: 

playlul,  and  Ins   conversation  was    a   rich  niivlnre  of 

Wons  w,,  an.l  deep  learning.     As  a  n,an  v,ho  had 

n,  le  Innsell  hunons  l.y  his  travels,  he  had  an   inev- 

llu       nlc  lund  ol   ohscrvations   on  th,.   eonntries    nal 

■";""'-'»■■;'  »l"'^l'  IH' .e,..n.e  li,nnliar;  as  Zo 

wh|.  ha,l  lelt  no  held  „r  .eienee  nnexplor-.l  he  1,  ^"l  t 

to  hear  even  on  the  nnist  c nionph.ee  i„pi,.    „„.l  ., 

vanoty  or  kn„,vle.tec,  that   he    clothed   vv.'ti:  'i,       ' 

what  dul  not  seen,  to  a,l„„t  .,(  any.     His  li.voril ,;. 

l.on  wiu,  to  .st,.nd  „p  at  Ih,.  n.anlel  c,n„er  of  the  lire- 

place,  and  there,  with  his  I s  hehin.l  his  hack,  his 

eye,  spark h„«  and  his  face  l.,.ar,.in,,  with  a„n„alio, ,  he 

S.U    .red  ,.„n,nl    n...  , kept,  as  it  were  lelK.red  hy  a 

.<|..    ,  a  gronp  o(  adnnrir.j;  l,sl,.n,.rs.      II..  was  a  n.a,.  of 
;".W  ■   statnre,   stoopin,,   a    little,    with    pale   cl,e  U 

Lonshllnl  b.-ow,  h s  tin,,  and  spare-i,,  a  word-th^ 

very  prototype  of  the  lov,.r  of  Ihe  „,„l„i„|,t  |„ 

and  olhce.s  were  present  on  ll„.sc  occasions.     Of  ,|.en. 
Urn  n,ost  conspicnons  were  :  I.oyok,,  the  Connnkssary  of 
War  and  Intendant,  (;ayarre,  the  CVu.la.lor,  or  ]!,L 
Comptroller  and  .Auditor,  Navarro,  the  Trea.snr..r,  P.e 


^Kf' -* 


LKTTKIt  or   A?;nKV. 


185 


nu.,  tho  ccnm.-indcr  (,f  thn  two  companies  >f  foot  that 
l.a<l  corn,,  will,  Flloa,  and  d'Acosta,  tho  captan.  ,  '"  th. 
n^'Hte  whuh  ha.;  .rannportcd  th<.  Spanish  (iovrrnor  lo 

uycr.       1  n,  3  ,      .^,„  „|  ,„^,,.jj^  .^,^^1  ,^^  ^,^^  .^  urhanitv 

;•'"';"••":'  a"«.  va.  ons  accornphshnH-nts,  thc-y  contri- 
bu  .'d  their  sharo  to  the  pleasn„t,.es.s  ofthe  pass.n.r  ho.,r. 
()  llH.2(nhof.Iannary,  17(JH.  Auhry  \^rote"to  his 
J?ovenun<.nt:  M  a.n  still  waiting,  for  the  arrival  „f  the 
Spams,  roups  witlMM.t  which  it  is  ahsolntely  in.possi- 
bi<'  that  l.lica  shonid  take  possession  ofthe  colony.  In 
tl'c  mean  t.n,(.,  the  aliairs  a,-e  cond„,ted  as  nnich  as 
poss.hle  as  ,|  if        |  |„,^.„  Hlecled. 

"IJnt  I  an,  m  one  of  the  mo-t  extraoi'dinary  posi- 
ions      J  co.nn.and  lor  the  kin.  of  I-Vanee,  an.l,  at  tho 
.  .inn.  t.me    I  .overn  the  colon,   as  if  it  helonfrod  to  tl 
k.n^r  ol    Span,.       A   Fnmcl,    con,n,a„d.T    is  Vacinally 
monld.n.    F,v„chn,en   to    Spanish    d<,n.ination.      The 
Si)Mn.s|,  (,ov<M-nor  .n-^os  mo  to  issni.  ordinances,  in  rc'Ia- 
t.on  to  the  pohce  and  con,n.erce  of  the  conntry,  which 
tal  e  the  p,H,ple  |,y  .snrpris,-,  considc-rinir  that  'iUov  ar.. 
not  nse(    to  snch  novelties.     This  colony  is  an  ii.strn^ 
nicnt  whu-,h  ,t   is   necessary    to   take  to  pi.^ees  and  to 
ren,c|dc>l,   so  as   t<>  make  it  play  to  the   Spanish   t.me. 
llie  Spanish  lla,<r  „  „ow  wavin-  at  th.>  e.vtn-nnties  of 
be  province.     Jt  is  at  the  JJalize,  at  Missonri,  on  the 
hank    ol     the   Iherville    rive.-,    and    opposite    Natchez. 
Mv.  de  LIloa  has  ,,.st  eslahlished  these  fonr  posts,  and 
lius  d..st,-,l..,t<.d  a,,.,.,i,.  ,|.,,„  tl,,  ,i,„.i^  ,,,,,^ji,.,.^  ,,,^^^  ^.^^^^^^, 

with  hiin.  Ihis  operation  was  ex(.cnted  peaceahly, 
Withont  a.,y  accident,  and  has  pi-odnc.-d  no  cl,  .n.^e  in 
our  posts,  whieh  still  continiie  in  existence  as  for  the 
imst,  so  that,  .1,  all  those  which  a,-e  on  th(>  hanks  of  the 
Mississippi,  from  tlx^  Balize  to  the  Jllinois,  th«>  French 
tlag  18  kept  up  as  hefore. 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14180 

(716)  872-4S03 


186 


CONSPIRACY   AGAINST    THE   SPANIARDS. 


"  It  is  no  pleasant  mission  to  govern  a  colony,  which 
undergoes  so  many  revolutions,  which  has  not  known, 
for  three  years,  whether  it  is  Spanish  or  French,  and 
which,  until  Spain  shall  take  formal  possession,  is,  to 
speak  properly,  without  a  master.  When  that  event 
shall  happen,  I  shall  feel  authorized  to  say  to  Mr.  de 
Ulloa,  that  I  deliver  into  his  hands  a  Spanish  colony 
considering  the  changes  and  novelties  which  I  have  in-' 
troduced  in  concert  with  him,  during  its  French  ad- 
ministration. 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  Mr.  de  Ulloa  is  frequently  too 
punctilious,  and  raises  difficulties  about  trifles.  We 
sometimes  dispute  about  things  which  are  clear  and 
just  beyond  any  possible  doubt,  and  about  which  there 
would  be  no  discussion,  even  between  two  private  indi- 
viduals in  a  state  of  poverty."  With  regard  to  Ulloa, 
he  was  so  well  pleased  with  Aubry,  that,  on  his  recom- 
mendation, the  Spanish  Government  made  to  that  offi- 
cer a  present  of  three  thousand  dollars. 

Two  thirds  of  the  year,  1768,  had  passed  away  in 
apparent  quiet.  But  a  secret  conspiracy  had  been  kept 
alive  in  the  town  of  New  Orleans  and  in  the  neighbor- 
ing parishes,  to  drive  away  the  Spaniards  from  the 
colony.  The  chief  conspirators  were  some  of  its  most 
influential  men,  such  as  :  Lafreniere,  the  king's  Attorney- 
General,  Foucault,  the  Intendant  Commissary,  Masan, 
a  retired  captain  of  infantry,  a  wealthy  planter,  and  a 
knight  of  St.  Louis,  Marquis,  a  captain  in  the  Swiss 
troops  enlisted  in  the  service  of  France,  Noyan,  a 
retired  captain  of  cavalry,  and  Bienville,  a  lieutenant  in 
the  navy,  both,  the  nephews  of  Bienville,  the  founder  of 
the  colony,  Doucet,  a  distinguished  lawyer,  Jean  and 
Joseph  Milhet,  Caresse,  Petit,  and  Poupet,  who  were 
among  the  principal  merchnnts,  Hardy  de  Boi^blanc, 
a   former   member    of  tne    Superior    Council    and    a 


^^*i; 


CONSPIRACY  AGAINST    THE   SPANIARDS. 


187 


planter  of  note,  Villere,  the  commander  of  the  German 
coast. 

Lafreniere  was  a  native  of  Louisiana,  and  of  an 
obscure  family  His  father,  a  poor  Canadian,  who  had 
followed  Bienviile  to  Louisiana,  had,  by  dint  of  indus- 
try, acquired  some  fortune,  and  had  sent  his  son  to  be 
educated  in  France.  A  plebeian  by  birth,  Lafreniere 
had  the  majestic  aspect  of  a  king,  so  much  so,  that  he 
had  been  nicknamed  Louis  XIV.  He  was  a  man  of 
strong  passions,  expensive  tastes,  and  domineering  tem- 
per. He  was  gifted  with  considerable  eloquence,  bor- 
dering, it  is  true,  on  the  bombastic,  but  well  calculated 
to  produce  an  impression  on  the  massts.  His  ambition 
was  unbounded,  and  was  supported  by  an  indomitable 
energy.  He  had  those  qualifications  of  mind,  soul,  and 
temperament,  which,  under  different  circumstances,  will, 
however  paradoxical  it  may  appear,  make  a  man  feel 
and  act,  truly  and  honestly  to  himself  and  to  others, 
either  as  an  intense  aristocrat,  or  as  an  impetuous 
demagogue,  a  devoted  tribune  of  the  people — that 
being,  whom  Shakspeare  calls:  ^^  the  iongne  of  the  common 
month.^''  This  was  the  man  who  was  the  acknowledged 
leader  of  the  anti  Spanish  party,  and  his  efforts  had 
been  incessant,  to  pave  the  way  to  the  contemplated 
insurrection. 

A  secret  association  had  been  formed,  and  the  chiefs 
of  the  conspiracy  used  to  meet,  either  at  Masan's 
house,  or  at  a  house  situated  out  of  the  precincts  of  the 
town,  but  contiguous  to  it,  which  belonged  to  one  Mrs. 
Pradel,  who  was  the  avowed  mistress  of  the  Intendant 
Foucault.  This  house  was  surrounded  by  a  large  gar- 
den, thickly  shaded  with  those  magnificent  trees,  which 
are  the  pride  of  I^ouisiana.  There  the  conspirators 
used  to  resort,  at  night,  one  by  one,  from  difterent 
directions,  and  discussed  the  plans  they  had  prepared. 


■    :  II 


188 


CONSPIRACY    AGAINST    THE    SPANIARDS. 


rherc,  after  the  dangerous  oceiipation  for  which  thev 
had  met  was  over,   they   saunt(>rcd    in    tlic  perfumed 
alleys  of    roses,  myrtles  and  magnolias  of  their  fair 
assoaate  m  the  partnership  of  conspiracy,  and  then  they 
ended  the  evening  in  merriment  and  in  the  enjoyment  of 
a  luvunous  hanquet.     This  circumstance  puts  one  in 
mmd  of  tlic  meeting,  as  related  by  Alfred  de  Vi.r„y  of 
young  Cinq-mars  and  his  friends,  at  the  fiousc  of'  the 
aithhvss  courtezan  Marion  de  Lorme,  when  that  unfor- 
tunate favorite  of  Louis  XUL  dared  to  head  a  co.ispi- 
racy  aga.ust  the  omnipotent   and   all-seeing  minister, 
Carduml  Uichelieu.      JJut  the  secret  of  this  conspiracy 
was  better  kept  than  that  of  the  one  to  which  I  have 
alluded,  and  Aubry  and  Ulloa  were  not  informed  of  it, 
before  the  25th  of  October,  when  it  was  too  late  and  all 
was^  ready  to  insure  success. 

The  (Germans  and  Acadians  had  been  long  tampered 
^vith,  and  Ulloa  having  lately  sent  Maxcnt,  with  ba-rs  of 
tlollais,  to  pay  these  people,  for  grains  and  other  provi- 
sions winch  the  Spanish  Government  had  bought,  and 
Of  vv  uch  the  payment  had  been  delayed,  the  conspira- 
tors becjime  npprchensive  that  this  circumstance  would 
operate  unfavorably  for  them,  on  these  Germans  and 
Acadians,  wliom  they  had  p.Tsuaded  that  their  claims 
would  never  be  acknowledged  and  settled.      Therefore 
wiion  iMaxent  stopped  at  the  house  of  D'Arensbourg,  the' 
old  Swedish  captain,  who,  it  will  be  remembered,  had 
come  to  the  colony,  in  i7;:l,  after  having  distinguished 
Inniself  at  the  battle  of  Pultawa,  and  who  was  one  of 
the  most  respected  inhabitants  of  Louisiana,   he  was 
arrested  by  Verret,  UTider  the  authority  of  Villere,  who 
commanded  at  the  German  coast,  anil  all  (he  Govern- 
ment money  was  taken  away  from  him.     A  ca'J)uchin, 
who  was  the  curate  of  that  settlement,  had  been  one  of 
the  most  active  tools  of  the  conspirators,  and,  by  circu- 


m 


OENKRAL   INSURRECTION. 


189 


lating  every  kind  of  cxcitinjr  rumors,  ho  had  powerfully 
helped  th(!ni  in  inducing  the  Germans  and  Acadians  to 
rise  n<j;ainst  the  Spaniards. 

On  the  'i7tli,  Foucault  convened  a  meeting  of  the 
Sup(!rior  Council  for  the  next  day.  During  the  night, 
the  guns  wliicli  were  at  the  Tchoupitoulas  gate,  were 
spiked,  and,  the  next  morning,  on  the  28th,  the 
Acadians,  headed  hy  Noyan,  and  the  Germans  by 
Villere,  entered  the  town,  armed  with  fowhng-pieces, 
with  nmskets,  and  all  sorts  of  weapons.  The  j)lanters 
who  lived  below  New  Orleans,  also  forced  its  gates  and 
joined  the  otiier  confederates.  Marquis  had  been  ap- 
j)ointed  connnander-in-chief  of  the  insurgents,  and 
immediately  entered  into  the  duties  of  his  new  office. 
The  town  became  the  theatre  of  fearful  alarm  and  con- 
fusion. The  Spanish  frigate  broke  the  bridge  which 
conn(>cted  her  with  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  moved 
off  1o  cast  anchor  in  deeper  water.  The  rumor  that 
she  was  going  to  lire  at  the  town  produced  the  wildest 
excitenujut.  All  the  private  and  public  houses  closed 
their  doors,  jind  heavy  patrols  of  the  insurgents,  who 
were  completely  masters  of  New  Orleans,  paraded 
through  its  streets. 

Aubry  took,  with  great  celerity  and  energy,  all  the 
necessary  measures  to  protect  the  Spaniards,  and  to 
save  niloa  from  injury.  He  had  cartridges  distributed 
to  his  men,  who  numbered  only  one  hundred  and  ten, 
the  rest  being  scattered  throughout  the  colony  in  its  dif- 
ferent posts,  and  liad  them  ready  for  action.  He 
assembUxl  their  officers,  and  told  them  that  he  would 
die,  rather  than  suffer  that  a  hair  should  be  touched  on 
Ulloa's  head,  and  that  he  relied  on  their  zeal  and  fideli- 
ty. He  sent  for  Lafreniere,  and  urged  him  to  desist 
from  an  enterprise,  which  would  be  his  perdition  and 
the  ruin  of  the  colony  j    ho  told  him  that  he  would 


¥•  f 


■;■  ■! 


i  :     i 


lUi%' 


lOO 


(IKNIJIIAI.    IKNlKUKtTioN. 


'''-•-•"- .^  "Ml.     S,.nn,MlmMHM-oMMnotH,n,H.. 

w.  h  a  ln,,naU  .mr     Mo  s.nt  also  f.,..  r,,.,,,,,;,,,  „,  j 
ask,..!  Inni  wl.ut  hmI,.  ho   w.m.M  (nkr.      ()„  iMMi.-miirs 
anHw,.rm^r  ,vi(h  Ins  nsuni  uuAn^uUy,  Anhry  |<,|,|  hi,,,  thai 
lie  wc.l.l  n„„  h,„.s..|r  hovond  ,vWrM.,»1ioi,,  if  hr  <li,i  not 
oppose  so  nlr<,ri,H.,s  a   .vhrlhon.       H,,,    h„   c.M.ld   not 
|»rova.  on  h,>„nu,lt  io  ,u„-m„o  „„y  ,hri(hMl  ron,-Ho.     I  lis 
appeals  t<.  f h,>  oth(.r  lo.uhM-s  w..,-..  ,.|nallv  fh.ifl.HH.    In  tho 
evMun^r,  Hr,.,n^r  thaJ,   fo  „so   h.s   own  rxpn-MHions,  „// 
imv  m  n^tiifc  of  nmhustion.  |„.  .vniird  on  Ullon,  a.,<l    in- 
<<>r.mn^r  h.n,  that  h.  conhl   no(  answ,..-  Co,-  his  hf;.,' .v- 
J|.H^stc-(l    n,u   to  jvdro  nilh  his  wii;.  <,n  l..anl  oi    ,ho 
^MU<M.lh,sCath<.hc^1nJ<.,y.     llMh.nac.on.,,ani.d 
tluySpan.sh  (.ovvrno,-  K.  ,hat  ,,lar<.  of  n.-cnrify,  and  IH 
with  hnn  an  olHrrr  and  twonty  nn-n. 

On  fh(.  first  ai»,.nnanro  of  dan.,.r,  (Jayanv,  T.oyola, 
Navarro  an<I  .h„  othor  fow  Span.anis,  wiL  w.n.  i.Hh o 
nnvn  w.th  Ho.no  of  tla-ir  P'ronch  a<lhnvnls  and  Irinals,' 
who  ha.  Hhow(Hhh(.,nn(.|v.H  trn.«  in  th..  hour  ofji-ial,  ha. 
«ath.nT.l  r.>„n.l  lUloa  ,o  di..  wilh  or  savo  hin,.  Th,,y  had 
.arricadcHl  h.s  h.H.s..,  and  pnt  it  in  sn.-h  a  st.to  of  .lo- 


eiics  as  wouM  have  onahl..!  th.Mn  t..  slan.l  a     ..<.,  an.^ 

to  s.dl  the.r  hvos  .loarly.      Aft.-r  Ifjloa's  r.^tr..,!  to  the 

fngat.3    l,oy  ro.nu.ned  in  th..  sanu.  position,  ,.x,„>.tin. 

to  be  attackod  at  every  moment,  an.l  ontinue.l  in  that 

state  ..t  nnnnnent  .lang.^r  an.l  anxi..nssns,»..,s..,  lor  three 

or  tour  .lays.     Oceasionally,   th.,  people  vvonl.l  co.ne 

rushm^r  on,  as  .t  were  to  stonn  th.,  fortif,cati.>ns  which 

had  been  «ot  up  on  the  spur  .,f  the  m.Muent,  and,  utt'T- 

.n«  fi.^rce  shouts,  w.>,dd  with  wil.l  gestur..s,  h..ap  abuse 

ou   he  .Spanuirds  an.l  their  king,  an.l  .lealen  their  cars 

with  loud  hiuTuhs  ibr  the  King  of  France.     JU.f,  on 


I  ii; 


OICNKItAL    INNiriciMU'TION. 


lf)l 


Ill- 


livery  OIK-  of  tlicHr  ocjiiHioiis,  Moiiii;  ortix!  chiefs  jiiiiong 
tlm  iiiHiir^rciitH,  wli(»  hcm-iiumI  (l(MrniiiiHMl  (o  l^-op  tlio 
proplo  Ironi  coinmiltin^r  jiiiy  uiiii('c,(!,sHnry  oiitnuro, 
ii|»|M!iiml  miion^r  ||u.|ii,  niid  hy  tlicir  (fxliortatioiiH,  7n- 
(liHcd  lIuMii  to  uhstiiiii  Irom  dVcdM  of  violence,  mid  to 
act  with  tlint  iiiiifrniiiiiiiiity  which  (ht;  coiiHcioiiHiieHs  of 
viiMt  Hii|)('riority  ol"  force  oiiirht  to  inHj)ire.  'J'h(.y 
Jissnnid  them  that  the;  S|i!iiii!irds  would  retire  without 
r<!HiHtmice,  mid  tlu^rehy  Hucct'edcd,  «>very  time,  in  draw- 
iii/r  them  away  from  the  Hpot,  to  which  lUvy  wcsn;  j)ut 
too  olt(!n  recalled  hy  their  excil(!(l  p.-iHHioiiH.  I{(!Hi(hiH,  it 
wan  evident,  from  IIk^  most  curnory  .survey,  mad(!  («v(!n 
hy  an  unmilitnry  <!ye,  of  tin;  prepiiratioiiH  visible  in  what 
mi<,dit  he  <iilh'd  the  liuh>  stron/jrhold  of  tla;  Spaniards, 
that,  with  tli(!  unyiiddiiifr  temper  which  is  tli(!  ho  well 
known  iittrihut<>  of  their  rac(>,  they  had  ina(l(!  them- 
Helves  ready  for  the  inoHt  desperate  strii^r^'h;.  This 
also,  conlrilmted  p(;rliapH  to  ward  olf  the  thnjatened 
hlow.  Tlu^  followiii;r  pussii^M;  in  Aiihry's  letUir  to 
O'Keilly,  when  niiuhn-in^  an  account  of  those  events 
shows  how  ^rrciit  tla;  dan^Mir  had  heen :  "Several 
times,"  siiid  he,  "  tla;  party  of  tla;  ndMsIs  and  that  of  the 
S|)aiiiiirds,  which  certainly  was  not  the  Htroii^Msst,  were 
near  comin/r  t()  hiowH.  Should  that  misfortune  have 
happened,  your  JvvcelK^iicy  would  now  bo  treading  on 
th(!  asluis  of  New  Orleans." 

In  compliance  with  Foiicault's  convocation,  the 
Superior  C'ouncil  had  met  at  ei^rht  o'clock  on  the  inorn- 
iii<r  of  il.o  2Htli.  The  iiM^mhcirs  pres(!nt  were :  Fou- 
cault,  F-afrenierc!,  Huchet  do  Iv'ernion,  Do  Launay,  and 
La|)lac(s  tho  rest  of  the  council  bciing  absent  for  the 
alleged  cause  of  sickness.  Caressc  was  then  intro- 
duced, and  ])rescnted  n  petition,  signed  by  about  six 
hundred  planters,  merchants,  and  others,  demanding 
the  restoration  of  sonic  liberties  and  ancient  rights,  the 


>i 


1 1, 


1J)2      im:titi«)n  for  tiu:  kwvlswn  of  ri,i.<)A. 

gnuifiiifr  „r  now  privilcijrrH,  and  llu«  ««x|Milsioii  of  l!||rm 
»>i»l  oCd.r  other  S|,„niHl.-<,Hi,-,rrM.     Tliis  petition,  which 
JN  Hjiid  f.,  Iij.vr  hvvu  wriflri,   hy  l^ariviii,-,-,,  nrul  Doiicct, 
wuH  not  niul,  h„|,  uiiH  ivfcnTd  to   llnchrt  do    K,>n.ion 
und    l)(!   I.nunay,   with  instniclioiiH  to   n-jiort   on    the 
loll(,ui.i^r,|ay.     ()„   th(!  in-o|»oMitioii  of  Lalivniens  who 
ivi)ivs..ni,.d  that  Ihcro  would  not  Iv  u  tidl  council  at  tho 
iirxt    nicctmjr,    on    account    of   sickness    anion^r    the 
n.cndxTH,  and  that  it  was  inipossihl,.  to  <l..|ay  action  on 
tt  nuilt*T  of  so  nuich  importance,  it  was  d.>terniin,«(l  that 
HUj)ernunierary  nieinhers  of  tlu^  council   he  appointed. 
On  tho  joint  recoinniendalion  of  I'oucault  and   Lalre- 
iiiere,  M(>ssrs.  Hardy  d(!  Koishlanc,  'riioniassin,  I'leiuiau, 
Hobe,  Ducros,  and  F.aharre  wcn^  i'Uict.'d,  and  a.  resolu- 
tion  was  j)assed,   invitin^r  them   to  In;  prcvsenl  at  the 
meeting  of  the  i>!)th. 

The  petition  pr(>s(>nt(>d  to  the  Sup(>rior  (\)uncil  for 
tho  expulsion  of  Ulloa,  had  he(<n  signed  in  a  hirgo 
ussenihly,  which  had  tak(>n  phic(!  early  on  the;  \>Sth,  and 
which  had  boon  addressed  with  great  vehemence  by 
Lufrenieri",  Doucet,  Jean  and  J<>se|)h  Milh(>t. 

On    the   2l)th,   tiio    Superior   Coimcil   mv\   at    nine 
o'clock  m  tho  morning,  to  take  into  consideration  that 
petition.     To  back  it,  the  insurgents,  to  tho  numlM>r  of 
about   one    thousand,  were    ass(>mbled   on    tlu^    public 
square,  round  a  white  Hag,  which  they  had  hoisted  up 
in  its  centre,  and  declared  that  they  would  exterminate 
all  the  Spaniards  and  their  "dherents,  if  the  decree-  of 
expulsion  should  not  bo  issued,  b»<cause  they  were  (l(>ter- 
niinod  to  submit  to  no  other  government  than  that  of 
France.     Tlu;  Sup(>rior  C^ouncil,  composed  of  thirteen 
niombors,  before  deliberating,  inquired  of  Aubry,  throu.rli 
Its  president,  whether  lUloa  had  exhibited  to   him  his 
powers  to  take  possession  of  tiie  colony  in  the  name 
of    the    King    of    Spain.       Aubry    answered     tliat 


I  ♦' 


i>ii(>(!i':i':i>iN<iN  ni;roiu:  Tin;  ioiincil. 


103 


nothin^r  very  ddciHivo  luul  ovrr  IxM-ti  hIiowii  to  liiiii 
(Ml  lli(!  Hiilijrrl.  'riicii  lli«;  Attorney  (u!iu;rul  rose  and 
Hiiid  :* 

"(Mtiitlcincii:  tli(!  llrHt,  niid  most  iiitcroHlin^f  point  to 
1)0  <!xiiniin«'(l,  is  tin;  utrp  Uikm  hy  all  tlio  phiiitri-H  niid 
incrclunitH  in  roiic«'it,  who  luinf^r  tlirc!it(  iicd  with 
.slavery,  and  lidioiinj^r  Miidei'/^iievaiiceH  which  hjiv(!  Uvvu 
eniimenitiul,  addreHs  your  trilmnal,  and  reqnin;  jii.stiot! 
for  llu!  violations  of  lh<!  .solemn  act  of  ccs.siori  of  this 
colony. 

"  I.s  yours  a  competent  trilumal  (  iwo  t,hc.s(!  complaintH 
jii.st.  ? 

•'  I  .shall  now  |)rocee(l  to  (hinonstrati;  tlu!   extcdit  of 
\\\v.  royal  authority  vesttid  in  tla^  Sup(!rior  Council.  The 
parliamentH  and  Superior  ('oimcil  an;  llu;  de|)o,Mitari(!H 
of  tlaUawM,  un(l(T  the  protection  of  which  lh<;  pcoi)l(? 
live  happy  ;  tlx-y  are  created  and  or^raiii/.ed  to  he,  from 
the    very    nature    of  their    oHicial    temir<!,    th(!    Hvvorn 
patrons  of  virluoii.s  citi/eu.s;  and   they  ar(!  (i.stahli.shed 
for  th(!  [>urpoS(!  of  exe<;utiii<r  the  ordinancjis,  edicts,  and 
declarations  of  kin<j;s,  after  they  are   ret^Mslcred.     Such 
has    l)C(!U    th(;    will    and    plejisure    of  l.oui.s    the    \v(dl- 
heloved,  om*  Iiie^(!  Lord  and  Kin;^,  in  whoso  name  all 
your  decro(>s,  to  tla;  present  day,  have  heen  i.ssued  arul 
carried  into  ex(!Cution.     'I'lu;  act   of  cession,  tla;  only 
titl(!  (»f  which  his  (!atholic  lVI(lj(^sty^s  connnission(!r  can 
avail  hims('lf,  to   make;  his  demands   (turlorilnfc  ct  pro- 
prktnU,,  was  addressed  to  the  late;  Mr.  D'Ahhadi*',  with 
orders   to   cause    it   to  he  rejfistercid  in  the  Suj)erior 
Council  of  the  colony,  to  th<!  end  that  the  dillercuit 
classes    of  the   suid   colony   may   hv.    informed  of  its 
contents,  and  may  be  enahhsd  to  hav(!  recourse  to  it 
U[)on  occasion,  that  instrunu^nt  beinjr  calcidated  for  no 
other  purjxvse. 

♦  Note,     ycc  ail  tlio  jirocwKiiiiKH  in  tlio  Appendix. 

13 


I,  i 


ii  ■  tf.ii 


I   \ 


lirl 


19i 


ritix  KKi)iN<;s  iii:i'oiii:  tick  <oirivrif,. 


*'_Mr.  UIIoirH   \v\tvv,  (laird  iVoiu   llavmiii,  July  lOtli. 
MO^U  uliirli  cxprmMrH  hia  (liHpoHitioiiH  to  do  (h',,  i„|iii- 
hiliints  all  tli««  ncrvic's   llicy  ,-an  (l(>sir«s  uas  addivsMcd 
t(»  you,  gciillciucu,   Willi  a  rrqucHt  to  u.ako  it  known 
to   llu>   Haid   inludMlanIs,  that   in   iIuih  aclin^r,  |„,  ^yould 
only    di.Mrliar^o   Iuh  duly   and  ^r,ali|y    his    inolinalions. 
Ihv  snid  l<>tlt>r  wjim,  hy  your  decree,  aller  (nil  dc-hUeni- 
tion,  puhlished,  net  np,  and  re^rjs((>red,  as  a  pled^,,   lo 
the  iidiabilanlN,  of  happinesH  and  Ir.inciuillily.     Anollier 
I(>tter  of  the    month    of  ()el<»l>er  lasl,   wrhlen   lo   Mr. 
Anhry,  proves  thnt  justie(>   still  eonlinties  to  b(;  admi- 
Mistered  in  th»«  eolony,  in  ihe  name  of  [.onis  Ihe  >v(>ll 
beloved.     Il  results  from  Uie  solenm  acl  of  cession  and 
Its  accessories,  that  the  planlers,  inerchnnts  and  oth(«r 
inhahilaiils   have  the  most   solid  basis  to  stand  upon, 
when  they  present  yon  will.  Iheir  most   hmnble  remon-' 
strnncos;  and  that  yon,  (ienllemen,  an;  fully  jmlhori/ed 
to   pronounc(>    th<T(Mi|)on.     L(>t  us  now  proc(-ed   lo  a 
scrui)Mlous  <>xaminalion  of  ihe  act  of  cessi<.n,  and  of  Ihe 
letter  wriUen  by  V\Uni  to  ll.«>  Superior  Council.    I  ihiidv 
It  hk(>wise  uuMunbent  on  me  lo  eil,.,  word  for  word,  an 
extract  of  th(^  King's  letter,  which  was  published,  sc^t  nn, 
and  rejristered.  ' 

"This  very  solenm  act  of  cession,  which  irives  the 
title  of  pn)perty  to  his  C\-,tholic  MMJesty,  secures  for 
the  inhabitants  of  Ihe  colony  the  preservation  of  ancient 
and  known  pnvileires  ;  nnd  the  royal  word  of  our 
sovereifrn  Lord  the  Kin^.  pron»is<-s,  and  <rivos  us  Ln-ound 
to  hope  lor,  others,  which  Ihe  calamities  of  war  have 
prevented  Inm  from  makinjr  his  aubj(>cts  enjoy.  The 
ancient  pnvilejres  having  Ixhmi  sn,,preHS(.(i  'by  the 
authority  of  his  Catholic  Majesty's  commissioner,  pro- 
perty  becomes  precarious.  The  act  of  cession,  winch 
was  the  mere  result  of  good  will  and  friendship,  was 
made  with   reserves  which  confirm    the  liberties   and 


piU)ci:i;inN(Js  iiKFOHi:  hie  c*()»;ncil, 


11>0 


priviN'gcH  of  (Im-  inliiibitiintH,  and  wliirli  |»n»iiiiH(>  tlioiri  u 

lir«M)l' triiiu|iiilliiy,  iinclcr  ilm   protcr.lion  and  hIk^IIci- ot 

tlu'ir  canon  iind  <ivil  laws.     Ah  projMily  accrning  from 

Ji  ccsHion  l)_y  rrc(!  rij^lit  cannot  he  claimed  and  obtained, 

c.\ce|)t  on  tile  condition  of  complying,  duriiifr  the  wliohj 

poHHcHHion  ofsaid  property,  with  the  reservcH  contained 

in  said  act  of  cession,  our  .sovtn-cM^ru  Lord  the  Kinjr 

hopes  and   flalterH    hiniHelf  that,  in  ronse(/nence  of  ihr. 

/nmd.s/ii/,  and  afrtion  .shown  hij  his  (Uitholiv  Mnjcslif,  he 

will  he  jdrnsdl  to  irivc  such  orders  to  his  ^romrnor,  and  lo 

other  ojjieers  employed  in  his  sennre  in  thai  eoloni/,  as  may 

he  conducive  to  the  (idvanta<>e  and  Iranf/uillity  of  the  inha- 

Inlants,  and  that  they  shall  he  ruled,  and  their  fortunes  and 

estates  managed  according  to  the  laws,  forms'  and  customs 

of  said  colony.     Can  Mr.  Mlloa's  titles  ^rivo  authority  to 

onhnances  and  orders,  which  violate;  the  reH|)ect  du(;  to 

th<!  Holeuui  act  of  cession?   'j'he  ancient  privile^res,  llu; 

tran«|uillily  of  tiu;  sid)jects  of  I'Vance,  the  laws,  forms 

and  cust(»nis  of  the   colony  are   rendered  sacred   hy  a 

royal  [Moniiso,  hy  a  rej^risterin^r  ordered  hy  the  Superior 

Council  and  hy    a  j)uhlicati()n    sohiumly  decreed   and 

universally  known.     The  sole  aim  of  the  letter  of  onr 

soverei<rn  l.ord  the  Kin^r,  was  to  grant  to  the  diiferent 

classes  of  the;  colony  a  recourse;  to  tin;  act  of  cession. 

Therefore,  nothin^r   can    he   Ixitter  grouudcsd   or  more 

Ic^^d  than  the  right  of  remonstrating,  which  the  inha 

bitants  and  citizens  of  the  colony  have   ac(|uired   by 

royal  iuithority. 

"  L(!t  us  proceed  to  an  examination  of  the  lett(!r  of 
Mr.  Ulloa,  written  to  the  Superior  Council  of  Now 
Orleans,  dated   the  lOth  of  .July   I7(i.3.      I    shall  here 

cite,  word  for  word,  the  article  relative  to  the  Suj)erior 

Council  and  the  inhabitants : 

'' I  Jlattcr  myself  hcforehand,  that   it  will  afford  me 

favorable  opportunities,  to  render  you  all  the  services  that 


if    \ 


••\\ 


':'•'', 

'1 

[■:■■ 

{ ■' ,?    i  .  1 

.  i    f  -  : 

IfKJ 


riux  r.i:i>iN<JN  iu:i'(>kk  tiii:  toi/Nni.. 


you  and  the  iiihahitmils  nf  ijnnr  town  mmj  dvsirr— of  whirl, 
I  hro  i/nu  In  i^irr  //,nn  Ihr  msnmmr  from  mr,  and  to  let 
than  know  thai,  in  a,'tini>-  thus,  I  nnhj  dischnr<rr  vn/  dntu 
and  <>ntti/'fi  mi/  inrlimtlions. 

"Mr.  (!<•  V'Wmx  |,r„vw«l  lIxTrbv  llic  unl.r.s  uliirl.  Iir 
liJul  rornv<Ml  In.in  his  ('...(liolir  lyiiijcsly,  <onr„rinul.Iy  I., 
tlu^  sol<>mM  nrt  i.rcoHsion,  nml  muiiilisir.l  a  smtimri.t 
wl.irli  is  itHliMi.,>i.sMl>N.  in  nny  frovornor,  wl..»  is  (Nvsirous 
ol  ivn(l(.rmj,r  nr,H„l  s<>rvic<<s  lo  his  Kinjr  i„  f;.,.  rolonios. 

"  VVillioMt  popiilution  Ihrro  ran  h..  no  romnirm-,  an<I 
w.lhoul  connnnrr,  no  |>o|,Mh.lion.    In  j)ro|),Mlion  fo  ||,<' 
rxtcnt  of  holh,  is  llir  soliWily  of  thnuu-s;  i),>]|,  .-.iv  \\h\ 
l»y    hlM-rly    and   coniiMMition,   wl.irli    an'    tli,.    nni^inrr 
inollirrH  of  ||h>  Stale,  of  whirl,  ihr  spirit,  ofinono,,„Iy  is 
tho  tyrant  and  st,>|Mn„thrr.     Without  lilurty,  thcr(«"an« 
iM.t   lew   v.rtnrs.     l).«s|,oiisi..   Inv.ds  i.nsilliM.in.iiy  and 
(i«M«|u>ns    thr    abyss    of  vi,-,«s.     Mnn    is    ronsidcivd    as 
s.nnn.ij:  l"'f<>n«   (Jod,  o.,|y  Immjihs,.   Ih.    .rt.-.ins   his  Ww 
Will.     W  Ihm-.'  is  t!a«  lihc-ty  of  onr  pinnlrrs,  „f  <,„.-  n.cr- 
chantH    and    of  all    o..,-    inlmhitj.nts  i*     IVolrction    and 
I)rm'V()l(M.co   have  irivcn   way    to  (h'spotisni ;    a  sin^Io 
mithority  would  ahsoih  and  annihilate  ovory  tliin<,'.     All 

ranks,withont distinction,  ci.n  no  lon^rpp,  .vithont  nmnin.r 
the  .-.sk  ot  hv,xv^  \n\vi\  with  j^iiill,  do  any  thi.i^r  ,.|s,.  1,,^ 
tro.nblo,  l),>w  their   i.(>(ks  io    the    yoke,    and  lirk    tim 
dust.     Tho    Snpc-rior    Council,  bulwark     of   the    tran- 
qn.Ihty    of    virtnons     citi/,(>ns,     has     snpported     itself 
only  by   the  cond)iiu>(i   force   of  the  probity    and   dis- 
interestedness of  its  n.end)ers,  and  of  tho  co..fidencc  of 
the  people  in  that  tribunal.     Withont  lakin-  possession 
ol  tho  colony,  withont  ivjristerin^r,  ;,s  was  necessary  in 
tho  Superior  Council,  his  titl(«s  and  pj.tents,  accordin.r  to 
the  laws,  forms  and  customs  of  tho  colony,  and  without 
prosentat.on  of  tho   act  of  cession,  Mr.  do  Ulloa  has 
caused  a  president,  three  counsellors  and  a  secretary 


PRo<;i:i:i)i!V(iN  iii;k»ici;  thi:  council 


197 


nomiimlcd  lor  ihr  imrixiHc,  t<»  Ink,,  co^rriizmir,,!  of  lactH, 

wlii«li    l)cl()iij;(.(|    i«,    iIh,    jiiriHilirtioii    of  (Ik;    Sii|Mui()r 

Council,  1111(1  ill  \vlii<li  I  n'ricli  (•.itiy.ciiH  wrn;  coiirrriKid. 

0(l««n  (lid  (li.sc.oiilriitH  iiiul  (lis^-iiHts  H(!('m  to  i'urvv  you  to 

rcsi^ri,  y(,„r  pluccH,  hut  you   lmv(;  iilwayn  couHJdcnMl  it 

HM  a  duty  (,r  your  .station  of  couuhKillorH  to  tli(^  inont 

CliriHtian   Kin^r,  to  all(!viato  and  calm  tiu;  nuu-nuirs  of 

llio  o|.|>ivHH«!(l  (!iti/(«UH.     'I'lic  |ov(.  of  youf  country,  and 

the   H(uiH<!   of  tiM!  juHtic(;   (Iii<!    to   (•v(Ty    citi/cn    who 

upidicH  tor  it,  liav(i  noiiriHhcd  your  y.vnl     It  has  always 

iKM^n  r(!n(hM-("(l  with  tlio  Hana;  (•xa(tlncHH ;  althou^rj,  y.ai 

n(!V(>r  thou^rhi   proper  t<.  inak(?  rcprcscntationH  on  the 

'•'•••m-tiouH  (,f  the  a(^t   (.r  cession.     You    liav(;    always 

feared  (<»  u,v(,  (>ncourajr,.ni(;nt  to  a  niasH  of  (liMcont(Mitcd 

people.,  threat(.ne(l  with   the   most  dreadfid  calami(i(>s  ; 

you   have   pr(!ferred  |)id)lic  tran(|uillily.      IJui  now.  the 

whole  hody  of  tlu;  planters,  UKU-chants,  and  other  udia- 

hitants  of  [.oiiisiana  apply  to  you  for  justice. 

"  i.et  us  now  proceed  to  an  accinat*^  and  scrupulous 
examination  of  the  <,m,!van(-(%s,  complaints  and  impu- 
tations contained  in  tla;  representations  of  the  planters, 
merchants  and  other  inhahitants.  What  sad  and 
dismal  pictures  do  tlu;  said  n^preseiitalions  l)rin<r  helore 
your  (yes  !  The  scom.r(^s  of  the  la  t  war,  a  sus^.ension 
to  this  day  ul'  the  |>ayment  of  sv.xm  millions  of  th(! 
Km<,r's  pap(!r  moiu^,  issued  to  supply  tlu;  calls  of  the 
service,  and  receiv<;d  with  confidenci!  by  tin;  inhahitantfi 
of  the  ':o|ony,  had  ohstructed  (Ik;  ease  and  facility  of 
the  circulation,  hut  the  activity  and  industry  of  the 
plant(!r  and  of  the  VivAich  merchant  had  almost  ^rot  the 
hotter  of  all  dilliculties.  Tla;  most  remote  corners  of 
the  posH(!SHions  of  tlu!  Savages  had  heen  discovered,  the 
fur  trade  had  h(!en  carried  to  its  hifr|„;,st  j)erfection,  and 
th(!  iwA\  culture  of  cotton,  joiruHl  to  that  of  indigo  and 
tobacco,  secured  cargoes  to  those  who  were  engaged 


V 


•i !  ■ 


i  '1'. 


14.  ii 


'   'J 

fs. 

I  l\ 

-     ■'■  t 

198 


PROCEEDINGS  BEFORE  THE  COUNCIL. 


jn  fitting  out  ships.    The  commissioner  of  his  CathoHc 
Majesty  had  promised  ten  years   of  free  trade— that 
period  being   sufficient   for  every  subject  of  France, 
attached  to   his   sovereign  Lord  and  King.     But  the 
tobacco  of  this  colony  being  prohibited  in  Spain,  where 
those  of  Havana  are  the  only  ones  allowed,  the  timber 
(a  considerable  branch  of  the  income  of  the  inhabit- 
ants) being  useless  to  Spain,  which  is  furnished  in  this 
article  by  its  possessions,  and  the  indigo  being  inferior 
to   that   of  Guatimala,   which   supplies   more   than  is 
requisite  to  the  manufactures  of  Spain,  the  returns  of 
the  commodities  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  colony  to  the 
Peninsula  became  a  ruinous  trade,  and  the  inhabitants 
were  delivered  up  to  the  most  dreadful  misery.     His 
Catholic  Majesty's  commissioner  had  pubhcly  declared 
his   conviction   of  the   impossibility  of  this   country's 
trading  with  Spain  ;  all  patronage,  favor,  and  encourage- 
ment were  formally  promised  to  the  inhabitants  ;  the 
title  of  protector  was  decreed  to  Mr.  Ulloa ;  the  hope 
and  the  activity  necessary  to  the  success  of  the  planter- 
were  nourished  by  the  faith  and  confidence  reposed  in 
these  assurances  of  the  Spanish  governor. 

"  But  by  the  eflfect  of  what  undermining  and  imper- 
ceptible fatality,  have  we  seen  a  house,  worth  twenty 
thousand  livres,  sold  for  six  thousand,  and  plantations, 
all  on  a  sudden,  lose  one  half  and  two  thirds  of  their 
intrinsic  value  ?     Fortunes  waste  away,  and  specie  is 
more   scarce   than  ever;    confidence  is  lost,  and  dis- 
couragement becomes  general;  the  plaintive   cues  of 
distress  are  heard  on  every  side  ;  the  precious  name  of 
subject  of  France  is  seen  to  be  eclipsing  itself,  and  the 
fatal  decree  concerning  the  commerce   of  Louisiana, 
gives  the  colony  the  last  fatal  stroke  which  must  lead 
to  its  total  annihilation.     The  Spanish  flag  is  set  up  at 
the  Balize,  at  the  Illinois,  and  other  places  j  no  title,  no 


PROCEEDINGS   BEFORE    THE    COUNCIL. 


199 


letters  patent  Mere  presented  to  the  Superior  Council ; 
time  flies  apace  ;  the  delays  fixed  for  the  liberty  of 
emigration  will  soon  expire,  force  will  tyrannise,  we 
shall  be  reduced  to  live  in  slavery  and  loaded  with 
chains,  or  precipitately  to  forsake  establishments  trans- 
mitted down  from  the  grand-father  to  the  grandson.  Ail 
the  planters,  merchants  and  other  inhabitants  of  Louis- 
iana call  upon  you,  to  restore  them  to  their  sovereign 
Lord  the  King  Louis  the  well  beloved  3  they  tender  to 
you  their  treasures  and  their  blood  to  live  and  die 
French. 

"  Let  us  proceed  to  sum  up  the  charges,  grievances 
and  imputations. 

"  Ma  dc  Ulloa  has  caused  counsellors,  named  by 
himself,  to  take  cognizance  of  facts,  concerning  French 
subjects,  which  appertained  only  to  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  Superior  Council.  The  sentences  of  that  new 
tribunal  have  been  signified  to,  and  put  in  execution 
against.  Mess.  Cadis  and  Leblanc.  Mr.  Ulloa  has 
supported  the  negroes  dissatisfied  with  their  masters. 
He  has  presented  to  the  Superior  Council  none  of  his 
titles,  powers  and  provisions,  as  commissioner  of  his 
Catholic  Majesty  ;  he  has  not  exhibited  his  copy  of  the 
act  of  cession,  in  order  to  have  it  registered ;  he  has, 
without  the  said  indispensable  formalities,  set  up  the 
Spanish  flag  at  the  Balize,  at  the  Illinois,  and  otlier 
places  ;  he  has,  without  legal  authority,  vexed,  punished 
and  oppressed  subjects  of  France  ;  he  has  even  confined 
some  of  them  in  the  frigate  of  his  Catholic  Majesty ; 
he  has,  by  his  authority  alone,  usurped  the  fourth  part 
of  the  common  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  has 
appropriated  it  to  himself,  and  has  caused  it  to  be 
fenced  in,  that  his  horses  might  graze  there. 

"Having   maturely   weighed   all   this,   I  require    in 
behalf  of  the  K.ng: 


"^ 

'^W 

,t ' 

1 

If 

1 

1. 

'in 

B"''   f  ■ 

j 

fi,"  i  ''1 


i 

HI 


11 


il'i!! 


200 


PROCEEDINOS    BEF'^HE    THE    COUNCIL. 


"  That  the  sentoncos  pronounced  by  the  counsellors 
nominated  for  the  purpose,  and  put  in  execution  against 
Mess,  (.\idis  and  Leblanc,  subjects  of  France,  be 
declared  encroachments  ui)on  the  authority  of  our 
sovereign  Lord  the  King,  and  destructive  of  the  respect 
due  to  his  supreme  justice,  seated  in  hie  Superior 
C^ouncil,  in  as  much  as  they  violate  the  laws,  forms  and 
customs  of  the  colony,  conlirmed  and  guarantied  by 
the  solemn  act  of  cession. 

"  That  Mr.  de  Ulloa  be  declared  to  have  violated  our 
laws,  forms  and  customs,  and  the  orders  of  his  Catholic 
Majesty  in  relation  to  the  act  of  cession,  as  it  appears 
by  his  letter,  dated  from  Havana,  on  the  lOtli  of  Julv 
176,1.  ^^ 

"  That  he  be  declared  usurper  of  iliogal  authority,  bv 
causing  subjects  of  France  to  be  punished  and 
oppressed,  without  having  previously  complied  with  the 
laws,  forms,  and  customs,  in  having  his  powers,  titles 
and  provisions  registered  by  the  Superior  Council,  with 
the  copy  of  the  act  of  cession. 

"That   Mr.    Ulloa,    commissioner  of   his    Catholic* 
Majesty,  be  enjoined  to  leave  the  colony  in  the  frigate 
m  which  he  came,  without  delay,  to  avoid  accidents  or 
new  clamors,  and  to  go  and  give  an  account  of  his 
cx>nduct  to  his  Catholic  Majesty ;  and  with  regard  to 
the  (hflercnt  posts  established  by  the  said  Mr.  Ulloa 
that  he  be  d.^s.red  to  leave  in  writing  such  orders,  as  hJ 
shall  think  necessary  ;  that  he  be  declared  responsible, 
for  all  the  events  which  he  might  have  foreseen;  and 
that    Mess.   Aubry   and   Foucanlt    be    requested    and 
even  summoned,  in  tli(>  name  of  our  sovereign  Lord  the 
King,  to  continue  to  govern  and  administer  the  colony 
as  heretofore.  -^ 

"  That  all  shii)s,  sailing  from  this  colony,  shall  not  be 
despatched,  without  passports  signed  by  Mr.  Foucanlt, 


rilOCKKDINCiS    BEFORE    THE    COiJNCIL. 


201 


as     intondant    commissary    of    liis    most     Christian 
Majesty. 

"That  the  takin<r  possession  of  the  cclony  can 
neither  bo  proposed  nor  attempted  by  anv  means, 
without  new  ord(>rs  from  his  most  Christian  Majesty. 

"That  Messrs.  Loyola,  Cayarro,  and  Navarro  be 
declared  guarantees  of  their  signature,  on  the  bonds 
which  they  have  issued,  if  they  do  not  produce  the 
orders  of  his  Catholic  Majesty,  empowering  them  to 
issue  said  bonds  and  papers ;  and  that  a  sufficient  time 
be  granted  them  to  settle  their  accounts. 

"  That  the  i)lnnt(n-s,  nuu-chants  and  other  inhabitants 
be  einpower«>(l  to  eh^ct  deputies,  to  cfirry  their  petitions 
and  supplications  to  our  sovereign  Lord  the  King. 

That  it  be  resolved  and  determined,  that  the 
Superior  Council  shall  make  representations  to  our 
sovereign  Lord  the  King ;  that  its  d(xree,  when  ready  to 
be^Kssued,  lu)  read,  set  up,  published  and  registered. 

"  That  collated  copies  thereof  be  sent  to  his  Cracc 
the  Duke  of  l'r;islin,  witli  a  letter  of  the  Superior 
Council,  and  likewise  to  :ill  the  posts  of  the  colony,  to 
be  there  read,  set  up,  published  and  registercnl." 

Then  Mess,  lluchet  l)e  Kcn-iiion  and  I'iot  Do 
Launay,  to  whom  the  petition  of  the  colonists  had  been 
referrcxi,  having  made  th(>ir  report,  the  whole  l)eing  duly 
weighed  and  deliberated  upon,  the  attorney  general 
having  been  heard  and  having  retired,  the  Council 
proceeded  to  frauK!  its  decree. 

Every  one  of  fhe  thirteen  members  gave  his  opinion 
separately,  and  in  writing.  Hardy  dc  Boisblane,  during 
the  delilxn-ations,  was  observed  to  be  one  of  th(^  mosl 
violent  advocates  of  the  expulsion  of  lHloa.  vVubry, 
who  luul  put  his  handful  of  men  under  arms,  and  wlio 
had  b(!en  very  active  in  every  part  of  the  lown,  to 
maintain  order  as  much  as  possible,  and  to  prevent  tho 


I         Ull 


:  (1 


(    ■ 

"    i 

t    '    i 

j 
1 

\  ■  ! 

i 

^ 

i   I  i^  i  '   .  r 


Ill 


202 


DECREE   OF    THE    COUNCIL. 


outbreaking   of  popular  passion  into  deeds  of  blood 
presented  himself  before  the  Council,  and  remonstrated 
agamst  the  decree,  which,  he  was  informed,  thev  were 
gomg   to    adopt.     He    called   their    attention   to    the 
consequences  of  what  they  were  doing,   and   to   the 
magnitude  of  the  affair,  of  which  they  presumed  to  take 
cognizance.    He  told  them  that  they  had  no  jurisdic 
tion  over  the  case  on  which  they  were  preparing  to 
decide,  that  Ulioa  was  the  commissioner  and  represel' 
tative  of  a  great  king,  and  that  they  would  provoke  the 
resentment  of  their  most  Christian  and  Catholic  Majes- 
ties  by  sending  him  out  of  the  colony.     But  seeing  he 
said,  that  neither  prayers  nor  threats  could  produce 
any  impression,  except  on  two  or  three,  who  seemed  to 
be  moderate,  and  that  the  rest  allowed  themselves  to  be 
swayed  by  the  sentiments  of  Lafreniere,  he  desisted 
trom  his  vam  attempts. 

At  12  o'clock,  the  Superior  Council  adjourned,  after 
having,   with   Foucault's    exception,   agreed    on    their 
aecree.     It  was  m  conformity  with  Lafreniere's  conclu- 
sions, which  were  all  adopted,  and  almost  in  the  very 
words  he  had  used.    The  time  allowed  Ulloa  to  quit  the 
colony  was  only  three  days,  and  he  was  to  depart,  either 
m  the  frigate  of  his  Catholic  Majesty  in  which  he  had 
come,   or   m  whatever  other   vessel   he   should  think 
proper.     Loyola,  Gayarrc  and  Navarro  were  permitted 
to    remain   to   settle   their   accounts,  but  were   made 
personally  responsible  for  the  bonds  and  papers  they 
ftad    put    in    circulation,    unless    they    showed    their 
authority  to  emit  them,  under  the  special  orders  of  his 
Catliohc    Majesty.     In   conclusion,   the  Council  said: 
V^e  order  all  our  bailiffs  and  sergeants  to  perform  all 
tne   acts   and   formalities   requisite    for    carryin^r    the 
present  decree  into  execution;  we,  at  the  same" time, 
empower  them  to  do  so.     We  also  enjoin  the  substitute 


OPINION   OF   FOrCAULT. 


203 


of  the  King's  attorney  general  to  superintend  the  execu- 
tion, and  to  apprize  the  court,  thereof,  in  due  time. 

"Given  at  the  Council  chamber,   on  the   29th  of 
October,  1768." 

Foucault,  who  had  been,  under  ground,  one  of  the 
most  ardent  firebrands  of  the  insurrection,  and  who  had 
secretly  goaded  on  the  conspirators  in  every  step  they 
had  taken,  faithful  to  the  plan  he  Had  followed,  to  shelter 
himself  against  any  future  contin^/encies  of  aanger,  to 
save  his  responsibility,  and  to  insure  his  safety,  by  not 
breaking  into  any  open  and  palpable  act  of  rebellion, 
on  the  plea  that,  as  the  French  King's  intendant,  he  was 
restrained,  and  forced  to  a  great  deal  of  caution,  by  his 
official  position,  and  that,  by  appearing  not  to  be 
entirely  with  his  associates,  he  could  afford  more  real 
and  effective  aid  to  their  cause,  gave  his  opinion  in 
writing,  as  follows  : 

"  The  intention  of  the  King,  our  master,  being  that 
the  colony  should  belong,  fully  and  without  reserve,  to 
his  Catholic  Majesty,  by  virtue  of  the  treaty  of  cession, 
my  opinion  is  that  none  of  the  Spanish  officers  who 
have  come  here  by  order  of  their  government,  can  be 
legally  sent  away ;  that,  considering  the  causes  of  dis- 
content enumerated  in  the  petition  of  the  citizens,  and 
Ulloa's  omission  to  take  possession  of  the  colony  with 
the  usual  formalities,  he,  the  said  Ulloa,  should  be  pro- 
hibited from  exercising  the  powers  of  Governor,  in  any- 
thing relating  to  the  French  subjects  now  in  Louisiana, 
or  who  may  come  thereto,  hereafter,  either  as  colonists 
or  not ;  and  that  every  thing  appertaining  to  the  com- 
merce carried  on  by  the  French  and  other  nations  with 
this  colony,  be  regulated,  as  it  was  before  his  arrival ; 
nevertheless,  that  all  q  •  officers  of  the  Spanish  admi- 
nistration should  continue  their  respective  functions,  in 
order  to  provide  for  the  supplies  necessary  to  the  town 


Kl    : 


I    I 


iUhU 


204 


PROTKST   OF    AUBIIY. 


I    ^ 


and  to  the  Posts,  for  tl.c  payment  of  all  salaries,  and  for 
tlie  expenses  of  the  French  troops,  which  will  continue 
o  serve  and  of  the  works  which  will  be  deemed 
proper  J  tins,  nntd  the  decision  of  the  conrts  of  France 
and  Spam  be  known,  reserving  to  the  deh^gates  of  the 
people  the  right  to  address  his  Catholic  Majesty,  in  the 
most  respectiu  and  lawful  manner,  in  order  to  obtain 
the  privileges  they  claim." 

Aubry,  with  his  characteristic  energy  and  frankness 
ot  behavior,  without  hesitation  or  equivocation,  pro- 
tested agamst  the  proceedings  of  the  Council  in  these 
terms : 

"I  protest  against  the  decree  of  the  Council  which 
dismisses  Don  Antonio  de  Ulloa  from  this  colony. 
1  heir  most  Christian  and  Catholic  Majesties  will  be 
offended  at  the  treatment  inflicted  on  a  personage  of  his 
character;  and  though  I  have  so  small  a  force  subject 
to  my  orders,  I  would,  with  all  my  might,  oppose  his 
departure,  More  I  not  apprelu  usive  of  endangering  his 

coLy.  ''  ''''  ^'"""  °^  ^"   '*'"  ^P""''"^^'  ^"  t^' 

Oclo^berl'Tm''''  ''''  ^''""'''  ''''"'^^''■'  ^"  '^''  ^^'^'  ^^ 

C^!   1   ""^""^''t  ■^'-  ^-  ^^'"   *'^^^'^'^    "^   the    Superior 
Co  mcil  was  oflicially  communicated  to  Ulloa  on  board 
01  tlie  trigate,  and  to  the  assembled  insurgents      "  The 
most  intense  enthusiasm,"  said  the  (Council  in  a  letter  to 
the  trench  government,    "followed  this    information, 
when  given  to  the  people.      Women  and  childivn  were 
seen  rushmg  at  the  post  which  supported  the  TVench 
«ag,  and  kissing  it  with  passion  ;  the  air  was  rent  with 
thousands  o    cries  of:  Lo..  live  the  King!  Long  //,, 
l^ms  the  well  beloved  !     What  a  glorious  moment?  sire, 
tor  so  great  a  monarch  ! " 

On  the  adjournment  of  the  Council,  its  members  had 


REFLECTIONS   ON    LAFRKNIERE's    ADDRESS. 


205 


been  mvitccl  by  Foucault  to  dine  at  his  house.     They 
took  their  scats  at  the  tablo,  at  2  o'clock,  and  at  five 
whilst  they  .voro  enjoyin-  the  last  course  of  the  ban-' 
quet,  ^oyau  and  sonic  others  entered  the  room,  and,  ad- 
dressing  Foucault  and  J.afreniere,  begged  them  to  pre- 
vail  on  the  (  ouncil  to  visit  the  IJnrracks,  where  all  the 
p  anters,  merchants  and   other   colonists   were  assem- 
bled.     Coftee,*   to   close    the  convivial    festivity,   was 
muned.ately   c.dled    for,   and  then,  at   the   re(,iu.st   of 
Foucault  and  Lalreniere,  the  Council,  in  a  body,  with 
tlie    exceptK>n    of   Messrs.   Lalandc    d'Apremont   and 
Huchct  de  Kermon,  who  said  that  ihcy  were  sick  and 
retired,  proceeded  to  meet  the  insurgents,  by  whom 
they  were  W(>lcomed  with  loud  acclamations,  and  the 
welkm  rang  with  tumultuous  and  prolonged  cries  of- 

,  T'^"  i'T  t.  ^'"'^'  "^"  ^''*^^'''  •    ^""-'  ^"'^'  ^«'^*"^'  ^^'^  ^M 
bc/ovcd  !     1  hese  cries  were  responded  to  and  repeated 

by  the  Council  in  a  body.  From  the  Barracks,  the 
Council,  followed  by  some  citizens  of  note  and  conse- 
quence vvent  to  Aubry's  house.  There,  both  Foucault 
and  J.afreniere  addressed  him,  and  requested  him  to  re- 
sume the  government  of  the  colony  in  the  name  of  the 
King  of  France.  Aubry  again  reproached  them  with 
what  they  had  done,  and  said  that  they  would  soon  see 
his  prophecies  reali/x'd. 

Some  reflections  present  themselves  to  the  mind,  in 
reviewing  Lafreniere's  address  to  the  Council.  Thus  it 
is  apparent  that  he  had  assumed  false  and  untenable 
grounds,  and  he  must  have  known  them  to  be  such 
when  he  argued  in  the  Council,  that  the  treaty  of  ces- 
sion was  with  conditions  and  reserves,  that  the  letter  of 
Louis  XV.  to  D'Abbadic  was  binding  on  the  King  of 
Spam,  and  that  it  secured  in  law  to  tiie  colonists  their 

*  Soc  the  writton  deposition  of  Garic,  (he  clerk  of  the  Council,  on  the  trial 
of  I-afreniure  and  otiiors. 


flk, 

'!'  ■■  ■ 

If     ■ 

! 

1 


■J» 


,,  1 


n 


206 


KEFLECTIO.\S    ON   LAFRENIERe's    ADDRESS. 


ancient  rights  and  privileges.     It  is  equally  evident  that 
It  was,  by  the  njost  forced  construction,  that  he  inter- 
preted into  an  acknowledgment  of  those  riglits  Ulloa'a 
letter  to  the  Council,  which  this  officer  wrote  from 
Havana,  givnig  notice  of  his  coming,  and  which  con- 
taincd   nothing   but   empty  and   vague   expressions   of 
civihty  usual  on  such  occasions.      Foucault  was  there- 
fore right  when  he  said,  that  the  treaty  of  cession  was 
absolute   that  the  officers  of  the  King  of  Spain  could 
not  legally  be  dismissed  from  the  colony,  and  that,  if  the 
colonists  were  oppressed  by  those  officers,  their  only 
course,  save  the  inalienable  right  of  revolution  in  cases 
of  extreme  hardship,    was   to   apply   to   his  Catholic 
Majesty  for  redress.     But,  in  his  desire  to  pursue  a  mid- 
dle course  and  to  keep  on  terms  with  both  parties,  he 
tell  into  a  state  of  contradiction  and  inconsistency.     To 
mvite  and  to  allow  Ulloa  to  pay  all  the  French  func 
tionaries  and  the  French  troops,  and  to  assume  all  the 
expenses  of  the  colony,  was  to  invite  and  to  allow  him 
to  be  its  governor.     He  could  not,  except  as  such,  per- 
ioral what  he  was  requested  to  do ;  and  the  public  func- 
tionaries, as  soon  as  they  accepted  the  pay  of  Spain 
ceased  to  be  French  and  became  Spanish.     The  French' 
troops,  from  the  moment  that  they  were  supported  by 
the    Spamsh    treasury,  had  virtually  passed    into  the 
service  of  Spam,  and  owed  obedience  to   the  Spanish 
governor.      Thus  Aubry,  having  consented  to  Ulloa's 
assuming  all  the  expenses  of  the  colony,  acted  logical, 
Jy  in  executing  the  mandates  of  that  officer,  and  in  be- 
having only  as  his  lieutenant.  It  was  too  late  to  alle<rc  the 
want  of  the  formality  of  taking  possession  and  of  the 
vain  parade  of  a  public  ceremony,  when  that  possession 
had  been  effiactually  taken  by  the  colony's  being  entire- 
ly supplied,  in  all  the  wants  of  its  administration  and  in 
every  thing  else,  out  of  the  Spanish  treasury,  with  the 


QUOTATIONS    FROM    LAFREMI^IIe's    ADDRESS.        207 

consent  and  inviiation  of  all.     Ulloa's  authority  could 

not  be  partially  admitted;  it  was  impossible  not  to  re- 

.)cct   or   to  recognize  it  in  its   integrity.      Therefore, 

I^oucaults  reconnn(>ndati(m  to  retain  IJlloa  in  the  colol 

ny,  as  merely  a  French  i)ay„,aster,  and  to  deprive  him 

o    all  authority  as  a  Spanish  governor,  seems  to  be 

almost  ludicrously  incoherent.      The  fact  is,  that  the 

colonists  had  achieved  a  revolution,  and  had,  by  force 

of  arms,  annulled  the  treaty  of  cession  made  between 

trance   and   Spam.      Foucault   forgot   that,   on   such 

occasions,  men  must  have  the  courage  of  acknowledg- 

ing  the  paternity  of  their  acts;  that,  as  a  revolution 

cannot  be  disguised,  it  had  better  be  proclaimed ;  and 

that  It  IS  a  futile  attempt  to  reconcile  with  the  existing 

political  organization  and  laws,  and  to  defend  in  their 

name,  what  is  fre(,uently  their  manifest  disrupture  and 

violation,  and  a  return  to  the  reserved  and  natural  rights 

of  man.  » 

There  is  a  passage  in  Lafreniere's  address,  of  which 
Louisiana  may  well  be  proud,  and  of  which  she  can 
boast,  as  spoken  by  one  of  her  children,  in  1768  before 
the  vo.ce  of  1776  was  heard.    "  In  proportion,"  said  he, 

to  the  extent  both  of  commerce  and  population,  is  the 
sohdity  of  thrones  ;  both  are  fed  by  liberty  and  compe- 
tition, which  are  the  nursing  mothers  of  the  State,  of 
which  the  spirit  of  monopoly  is  the  tyrant  and  step- 
mother.  Without  liberty  there  are  but  few  virtues. 
Despotism  breeds  pusillanimity,  and  deepens  the  abyss 
ot  vices.  Man  is  considered  as  sinning  before  God 
only  because  he  retains  his  free  will."  To  appreciate 
tins  bold  language,  it  must  be  remembered  that  it  was 
officially  uttered  by  the  attorney  general  of  an  abso- 
ute  King,  and  that  it  was'intcnded  to  reach  the  ears  of 
the  despotic  government  of  France. 

Another  passage   of  Lafreniere's   address  must   be 


li'i 


rf 


i!   II 


■Ill" 


^il 


SON 


<  IIAIlAf  TKU   OF    Ill.l.,,*    ^„   <,«VKI,N„H. 


IN 


i     ( 


comuH.,,1,.,1  „|,„„  i„  j„„,i,.,,  ,„  „||„„ 

l^u-n,;,-    ,,.1  ,„,l,l„.|^  ,„,„„v,l  l,is  convi..i,„„',„-  ,|         . 
"r''"'">   ".'    "-  -■ "■>■'  -™.li..«  will,  .S|,„in.     A  1 

.n.n,,s,.c,,,,l„.,,,,,,|,i,,,,,,.,,|,,.  ,;,,,,  ,,,.,^;^ 
.W.I,,,Mr.|.,«,,l,..|,.,|,,.  .hviu,  „.„..™ 

o  ho  »,„.oc,,  „ ,,i,„,„,,  „„^,,  ^„,,^,-    ,     y 

ll|ln|,   ,m  I,,.,  ,„T,v.l    i„    r,„„isi,„m.      Ilis  ,.„li.-l,„., 

m,ndhu,l  „,„„,.,|„„„|j.  ,|i.,e.,v,.,- I  ,|,„  «„,„,:,■,„ 

colony,  mu  ,t  l„„l  ,.„s,  l,i,„  „„  ,,|lort  ,„  1,„  cnvinrcl 

He   luul   ,.x,,r..».s,.,l    ,srl(   lo    ,|„„   ,ffi.cl,   ,„ul    Im.l 

pro„u«<l  Ins  mu.rc,.».si„„  „i, sj,„v,.,n,ncMt.     Il„  |„„| 

kept  hw  word  an<l  l„„l  „„„le  ren,o,„.,.„„ce»,  >vl,i,;|,  |„„1 
been  .l.srefrar.le.l.  Ins.ea,!  of  invi.inf.,  !„,  |,„.|  .l„,„.e. 
cute.1,  Ihe  .■o,„nu.n-,al  d..cr,.e  ivhiel.  had  I,,.,.,,  sen    lo 

hnn  (,o,„  Ma,l,id    «|,ieh  I,.-  l,a.l  l,e.,.„  ho„ ,  ,,„,  i„ 

force  and  which  had  ,,ro,lu<-e,l  «,  nnich  ,li.s,.„nten!  It 
was  therefore  with  j;r,.at  injustice  that,  in  this  instance, 
he  had  been  charged  by  the  inhahitalita  with  dnplicily 
and  wanton  tyranny.  '        ^ 

But  whatever  ha.l  been  IdH  faults,  his  virtues,  the 
merits  and  demerits  of  his  .leeds,  his  connection  with 
Louisiana,  as  governor,  had  now  censed  for  ever 


FMTH  TJicTimr:. 


Ammv'rt    llEFi.KfrrroNs  on  tiik  latk  Kuvoninov    t,,..  a 

OK  ..u,o..  i).....,.._m;:z  .  m  .^:;;;:;;:  ''::'^-^'"''''"-^-- 
i-n,..,..  ,.K  ..K  s......  „.„..,:, ;;  n  .,:^  "t,;:  <:::'j:;;t:';;;  ^""  ^"^ 

Ti.m    H.uu,,T-K„.,.,v,„,T's    l),.;s,..v.v,..-s    TO     ,_„,■' 7'  *'";'■■  ^   J "^'■'"•^►:  "N 
'IWn.c..v-A,.„Kv's    (,nN,..s    ..„-,,„.  \s  -VKKN-MKsr-Hm 

^.s... ...  V.W. ..,.,..., .....  ■^::";;;;..;^;;.;L:;^,_^;;:-™7:::; 

UKVou-r,ov    uKvouK.    S,.,..-n,.:,,,...u.no..    ..k  ™k   C...r,'Z^^Z:^^ 
S.-A.V  ATT,,,.:  (-on.T  ...   V,:„s.;,,,,Ks_„„;.L.   "(      ,,    ;^r,^7;7^"""    "" 

OMl.o  ;Wth  of  ()ctol,(M-,  17(i.S,  Auhry  sent  to  one  of 

the  irnniHlors  ,n  France,  n  iUMnWvd  ^intrnwut  of  all  that 

iind  occurmi,  and  said  of  tlir  .SupiM-ior  Connci! :  ''  Sccin- 

t'.ati  could  not  oppose  what  llu>v  L.-ul  resolved  upoi? 

.■"'(1  that  their  minds  were  made  up,  I  protested  acrajnst 

Ihoir  decree  which  orders  the  expulsion,  within  three 

days,  of  hnn  whom  his  Catholic  Majesty  had  sent  to 

take  poss(.ssion  of  the  colony.     1  look  up^on  this  action 

as  one  of  the  gr(>n,test  outrnaes  that  could  be  conunit- 

ted.    If  a  dozen  mdividuals,  who  had  contributed  not  a 

11 


i 


i    !  .1 


>   ■ 

ii! 


UIO 


r)i:ii:<.ATi:.s  AiToiNrrn  iiv  Tin:  issinuisrs. 


liUir  I.)  srl  .ill  on  (iiv,  hixl  hern  s|,iinMl  \Uv  rmmUy,  tliut 
rvrnt  U(Hil<l  not  lia>,.  Ii;,|.|.(-iir.l.     It   in  luy  <lii(y' f„  i„. 

Inrmyo.ir  .vvc.-IIriiey  Ihi.l,  alii n|,  j,  is  ||„.  „nivrrsa/ 

uisl.  „|  i|„.  (-(ilonisls  l(,  rcni.in  I-ivncli,  mid  ulil„„Hr|, 
tiic)  |)r()l«".st  (|„.ir  (i,j,.|i,y  ,,,  ||„.  ,^-j,,^,  ,,,  I'rancc,  yrt 
cvvvy  llnrifr  jm  /„/;.,/  turn/.  Il  is  (l,.si,-,.,j  that  I  ivinaiii 
/governor,  and  Mr.  l-'oncanlt,  intcndanl.  Hnf  vi„j,.„c(. 
IS  tli(>  (M(Km-  <»f  lli,«  day.  iM.ali  appaivnt  r(<.s|M.ft  i.s 
HJioun  lo  nu«,  lait  J  an.  not  olM>y..d.  Ilavin^r  no  troops 
at  n>y  disposal  to  ('nforct'  my  antliority,  it  is  reduced  to 
a  mere  hIukIow,  and  n»y  person  and  llu>  di|rnity  of  my 
ollico  are  biMli  (le<,Maded." 

This  despaleli  was   intnistcMJ    to    De    F.ap.^riere,   a 

Kni^dil  of  St.   r.onis,  Aviiom   Anhry  s«>nt  to   hVanee,  to 

giv.>  all  the  inlormation  that  nn^dit  he  wanled  in  r(«lali».n 

to  the  late  revolution.      The   insin-cr,.ntH  lost  no  lim(>  in 

seleetin^rtlu.irdelefritoH,  to  carry  (heir  re:)res,>nialionH 

to  the  loot  of  the  throne.      Lesasnier  was  ap|)oin(ed  by 

Ihe   Superior  Council,    Mieiiville,   a   r.ieul(>nant    in    the 

iia\y,  hy  the  planters,  and   j\Iilh,.t   hy   the  merchants. 

nienvdie  havino;  ivfused,  on  Ihe  ojroiind  that  hi.s  mihtarv 

eomnussion   was   incoinpalihle    with    the   mandate   for 

which   he  had  b.'cn  chosen,   St.    Lette  was  put  in  his 

place. 

With  rejrard  to  Ulloa,  lie  was  preparino-  to  leave  the 
country  within  the  time  which  had  he«Mi  allotted  to  I 
'  'if  wrote  to  Anhry,  to  aulhori/e  him  to  wifhd 


aiK 


I  i 


th«>  S 


pied,  and  to  send  tlani  (o  II 


l)anish    troops  Iro.ii  the  posts  whi-  It  fl 


iim, 
raw 


avaua. 


ac/irrouti. 


s;ii( 


1  Aul 


n-y,  "  a.s   to  order  the 


\\\)\'h  they   occn- 
llc  hna  ciH'n  hcc/i  so 


'hfl' 


ush  ionnnis- 


sarj^  to  continur  to  pai/  the  Fnnvh  troops  and  their  o/lirer^  " 
On  (he  ;nst  of  ()ctob(>r,  th(>  Council  met  airain,  and 


annulled,  in  the  followimr  tc 


u 


il 


rms,  Aubrv' 


•y's  j)rotest 


i'v  i\.jr.  A 


avin^r  taken  into  coiisideralion  the  protest  njadc 
*  ubry,  Knight  of  the  royal  and  military  order 


EmnAiiKATiox  or  ri.i,oA, 


•> 


II 

of  St.  I.,„,i„,  p,v,„,,„r  „r  ,|,i,      ,„i,„.„  ,.     II 

(  l.mn,,,,  M,,j,..,,,,,,    ,.,,„i, ,1,.  ,|,„,.„  „r  „,„ 

M,.  Illlo,,  ■,>,„„„„s,„„or  „r  |,i„  (;,„|,„||,  m,,^"       ^ 
tins  ,,n..,.H.    „M,«n.,„l   „hi|„i  th.  ,.„.li,.nc,.  w„,  1, 
'""'  "'"'  '":  '-"«-^  ■'""""7-«> n,i  l„.i„,,  |„„,nl  t  Ic   . 

':''""";" ■■"""«  '!"■  '"..livcH  ,vl,i,.l,  l,„v,.  n,„s,.,i  Mr 

Auhry   to   ,,ro„.st  „,,ainst  ,h.  .U-cn:  oC  .„„rt,  „C     ,  i 

»lK,l   iM.  ..x,r„f,.,l  „c,-o,-,Ii„„  to  ,,„  Cnr „,|  (,,„or. 

<  .ct,,!;;!;  'Ti'";';;';.-''''  ""■'  -'""•  ■"  ""^  ^•""-''  "■ '-. 

On  tl„,t,l„y,  ll||„„  „.rot(,  to  Aul,ry:  "  no  rcpronrli,., 
" " ■'■"'"■'^  •<>  <"'■;  for,  if  1  l,ml  (oris  ..onlt,-,,,'     I 

""■f""  ""y  ""','■'■  "'"■ '"i«.  it  w„s  witi,  y„,„.  ,„ivi,.,: 

niKl  .■oils,,,,!,  ,„i,l  with  tho  ,ip|„ol,„lion  of  tj,„  ki,,,.  ,„v 
.nasi,.,-  ,o  „,o,„  tl.n  colony  |,,|„nK»,  nn.l  y„,„.  ;;.,j! 
loncy  1,,.„,„  ,!„.  <Jov..,„or-j,,,„.r„l  of  s.i.l  colony  to 
whon,  W..S  ,  „-,.,-,t,.,l  the  diet  of  his  Most  VuZli^, 
A  ..j.'sly,  .leclunnf-  the  cession,  tl,e  Superior  (,V„nKil 
wind,  ,»  nothn,.  ^ 

In  the  eveninjr,  U||o,i  einharkd  with  ull  l,is  family  i„ 

..  I'rench  vessel,  which  he  had  charfrcl,  hecnusc.  he 

«.nl,   not,  as  was  allcfe-d,  depart  i„  ill,.  S|,anish  fri,ra,c' 

winch  „ee.  e,   repairs.     ()„  the  1st  of  Nove„,l,er,  ut  the' 

lawnn,,;  olhght,  a  ,n„„erous   hand  of  colonists,  who 

had  spen    the  prcc.ulinj,  night  at  a  wed.ling,  an.l  who 

were  prohahy  laboring  „„der  the  ordinary  Effects  o(  ," 

fest,v,ty  „l  ,h«  kind,  appear,.!  on  tI,o  hanlf  of  ,1,,'  rive 

where  the  Ireneh  vessel  was  tnoored,  and  ind.dgdin 

the  sing.ng  ol  patriotic  songs  and  in  the  nttorh...  of 


fi 


!   .1 


I    i 


212 


MANIFESTO   OF   THE    COLOMSTS. 


shouts  of  exultation.      One  of  them,  named  Petit,  cut 

the  ropes  which  made  fast  the  vessel,  and  the  joyous 

band  had  the   satisfaction   to    see   her  ^o  down   the 

stream.    But  she  stopped  at  a  short  distance,  and  did  not 

sail  before  the  afternoon,  in  presence  of  the  sergeants 

and  baihffs  of  the  Council,  who  reported  thereupon  to 

that   body.      Marquis  had   ordered   fifty  men   of  the 

mihtia  on  board  of  a  boat,  to  accompany,  as  far  as  the 

mouth  of  the  river,  the  vessel  which  was  to  carry  away 

Ulloa,  and  had  instructed  them  to  garrison  the  fort  at  the 

Bahze,  with  the  view  to  oppose  any  Spanish  force  that 

raigiit  come.     These  men  had  already  embark-d,  when 

Aubry  commanded  them  to  desist  from  their  enterprise 

and   to  land,  under  pain  of  being  fired  at.     "  On  that 

occasion,''  said  he,  in  one  of  his  despatches,  "  I  was  obeyed 

for  the  first  time:'  *^ 

After  the  expulsion  of  Ulloa,  the  planters  and  mer- 
chants of  Louisiana,  put  forth  a  memorial  or  manifesto, 
m  justification  of  the  revolution  of  the  28th  of  October' 
which  was  published  by  Braud,  the  King's  printer,  with 
the  authorization  of  Foucault,  the  intendant  commissa- 
ry.    It  repeats  all  that  had  been  said  by  T.afrcniere  in 
his  address  to  the   Council,   and  although  containing 
further  allegations   and   being   more   developed  in  its 
arguments,  it  seems  to  have  been  written  by  him,  ond 
certainly  bears  the  stamp  of  his  style.      It  begins  nith 
expressing  the  deep  regrets  of  the  colonists  at  beiuff 
threatened  with  the   loss  of  so  beneficent  a  master  as 
1.0U1S  XV.,  who  IS  for  his  subjects,  the  image  of  God 
on  earth,  and  an  incomparahk  monarch— ih^'.  most  aitomt 
of  sovereigns,  under  whose  cherished  sway,  it  is  "the 
wish  of  the  colonists  to  live  and  die,  and  they  tender  the 
remnants  of   their  broken  fortunes,  their  blood,  their 
children  and  their  families,  to  remain  under  the  paternal 
rule  of  Louis  the  well  beloved.      They  also  bestow  exag- 


MANIFESTO    OP  THE   COLONISTS.  213 

geratod  praise  on  the  prime  minister,  Duke  of  Choiseul, 
and  seem  to  forget,  .r  not  to  be  aware,  that  he  was  the 
very  man  who  had  transferred  them  away  to  Spain 

Among  the  other  heads  of  accusation  which  they 
bnng  agamst  Ulloa,  they  complain  of  his  having  granted 

Z^rZ  Z^'^'T  "'"'  ^"'"^'™  P^^'^'^S"  of  trading 
w.th  the  Ilhnois  district,  and  they  also  refer  to  the 

c.ee  of  he  6th  of  September,  1760.    They  accuse  him 

an  an  pally  lo  humanUy,  and  of  a  natural  AV««»  lo 
do  emi  deeds      In  support  of  whicli,  they  mention  his 
cosmg  all  the  passes  of  the  Mississippi  except  o„? 
vlnch  he  chose,  precisely  because  it  was  the  mos  shaU 
low    l,e  uiost  difficult,  and  the  most  perilous ;  h,s  orde  - 
.ng  the  pdots  not  to  pass  the  nigh't  on  board  of  any 
vessel  commg  to   or  going  out  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
us  ,;^usmg  thereby  many  accidents  and  great  damage 
Ac  sendmg  o    honest  and  .-espectable  citizens  "o^  he 
mmcsr,  and  other  acts  of  ve.xation  and  tyranny,   the 
sequestration  of  goods,  the  establishment  of  a  new  tri 
bunal,  m  violation  of  the  rights  and  jurisdiction  appe  - 
taming  to  the  Superior  Council ,  his  interfering  with  the 
.mportation  of  Negroes,  his  ordering  a  brid<.yard  to 
be  abandoned,  on  the  ground  that  it  was  too  close  to 
the  for tihcations  of  the  town,  and  because  the  holes 
w  iich  tlie  Negroes  dug,  to  supply  the  kiln  with  earth 
became  lull  o    putrid  water,  which,  he  said,  corrupted 
he  air,  notwithstanding  the  assertions  of  physicians  to 
he  contrary;  his  treatment  of  the  Acndians,  wlioi .  he 
^.reatencd  to  sell  as  slaves,  his  negociating  with  mi 
Englishman  the  setting  at  liberty  of  four  Germans  de- 
tained  on  board  of  the  Spanish  frigate,  in  consideration 
ol  the  payment  „l  fifteen  dollars  per  head,  his  haughti- 
..ess.  Ins  love  of  money,  his  sordid  avarice,  his  con. 


i-' 
V  ! 


! 


i  .     I;!' 


1i    !\ 


214 


MANIFESTO   OF    THE    COLONISTS. 


tempt  for  the  ecclesiastical  laws  of  the  colony,  his  ab- 
sence from  the  French  churches,  and  his  havino-  Mass 
said  m  his  own  house.      They  allege  that  he  had  the 
sacrament  of  marriage  conferred  under  his  own  roof  by 
his  chaplain,  on  a  white  man  and  a  black  female  slave, 
without  the  permission  of  the  curate,  without  the  re- 
quisite previous  publications,  without  any  of  the  forms 
or  solemnities  established  by  the  church,  in  contempt  of 
the  decrees  ot  the  Council  of  Trent,  and  against  the 
precise  directions  of  the  civil  and  canon  laws  which 
governed  the  colony. 

"  Is  there  any  thing  reprehensible,"  they  said,  "  in  the 
step  to  which  we  have  been  driven  by  Mr.  de  Ulloa's 
conduct,  and  by  the  vexations  to  which  it  led  ^      What 
harm  have  we  done  in  shaking  off  a  foreign  yoke,  which 
was  made  still  more  heavy  and  crushing  by  the  hand 
which  imposed  it  ?      What  offence  have  we  committed 
in  claiming  back  our  laws,  our  country,  our  sovcr^i^n 
and  in  consecrating  to,  him  our  everlasting  love  ?      \ro 
such    laudable   attempts    without    an   example  "in   our 
history  i     Have  not  more  than  one  city  in  France,  such 
as  Cahors  and  Montauban,  and  even  whole  province. 
such  as  the  Guerci,  the  Rouerguo,  and  Gasconv,  re-' 
peatedly  broken  with  patriotic  rage  the  English  Voke 
or  refused  to  be  fettered  by  foreign  chains  ?      Solo  m.' 
compacts  treaties  of  cession,  and  even  positive  order 
from  our  kmgs  often  attempted  in  vain  to  accomplish, 
what  British  arms  could  not  achieve,  although  smiled 
upon  by  victory ;  and  that  noble  resistance  ?o  the  de- 
crees  of  our  natural  born  sovereigns,  far  from  kindling 
their  wrath  stn-red  up  the  fountain  of  their  paternal  att 
tachnient,  forced  them  into  helping  their  loving  subjects 
and  thus  wrought  out  their  delivcmnce."  ^       ' 

After  having  given  the  reasons,  why  the  colony  of 
Lomsiana  could  not  be  of  any  advantage  to  Spain,  they 


MANIFESTO   OF    THE    COLONISTS.  21.') 

proceeded  to  enumerate  those  which  ou-ht  to  induce 
l^rance  to  retain  a  possession,  that  was 'calculated  to 
indemnify  her  for  the  loss  of  Canada. 

"  The   remaining  of    this   colony   in   the  hands  of 
Trance      so  they   argued,   "is  a   better   security  and 
guaranty   for   the    provinces    of   Spain   borderincr   on 
Louisiana  than  the  cession  made  to  that  crown.    °The 
unfavorable    impressions    already    conceived    by    the 
Indians  against  the  Spanish  nation,   and  which  have 
prompted  them,  not  only  to  insult,  but  also  to  threaten 
with  great  violence   the    Spanish    Captain   Rici,  who 
commands  at  the  Illinois,  would,  in  case  of  war  enlist 
them  m  the  ranks  of  any  hostile  power  to  Spain.'      On 
the  contrary,  the  Indian   tribes  always  side  with  the 
French  soldiers,  vvithout  inquiring  who  their  enemy  is. 
Tins  IS  the  true  bulwark  for  Spain.      Since  she  cannot 
find  any  advantage  in  the  acquisition  of  this  immense 
possession,  and  since  it  is  beyond  doubt  that,  from  our 
limited    commerce    with    her,    we    could    not   expect 
any  t  nng  beyond  the  bare  support  of  our  existence,"  why 
should  the  two  sovereigns  agree  to  make  us  miserable, 
for  the  sole  pleasure  of  doing  it  ?      Such  sentiments  do 
not  enter  the  hearts  of  kings,  and  it  would  be  a  crime 
to  entertain  any  such  supposition.       *       *       *       * 
^    "Scrupulous  observers  of  the  respect  due  to  crowned 
neads,  and  of  the  mutual  considerations  of  amity  which 
civilized  nations  ought  to  cherish,  we  should  feel  deeply 
grieved,  d  we  had  lost  sight  of  them  in  what  we  have 
done.       There  is   nothing  offensive   for  the  Court  of 
Madrid,  in  the   exposition    of  our  wants  and   in  the 
assurances  of  our  attachment,  which  we  lay  at  the  feet 
ol  our  august  Sovereign.      We  dare  hope  that  these 
demonstrations  of  our  zeal,  will  contribute  to  show  to 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  how  true  is  the  appellation 
of  well  beloved,  which   the  whole  world  jrives  to  him 


I'    ' 


', 


fi 


I 

'    i 


I'll 


t^Jli-j 

lUilk 

i   ^ 


216 


MANIFESTO   OF   THE    COLONISTS. 


I    ; 


Ifi  f 


ii      ' 


and  which  no  other  monarch  ever  did  possess.    Perhans 
even  m  Madrid  it  will  be  said:  Happy  the  prince,  ou'r 
ally  who  Jmds  the  mmolaUe  attachment  of  his  subjects  to 
hs  donnnatron  and  to  his  glorious  person,  an  obstacle  to  his 
treaty  of  cession  ! 

'  "f^  ^''^  .  aware  that  the  commissioner    of  Spain 
took  before  h,s  departure,  and  still  continues  to  gather, 
through  his  emissaries,  certificates  from  certain  indivi- 
duals residing  among  us,  who  are  his  mercenary  clients, 
seduced  by  brilliant  promises,  and  who  are  looking  out 
for  proselytes,  by  persuading  the  ignorant  and  frighten- 
ing  the  we^k.     But  whatever  may  be  the  contents  of 
these  certificates,  which  are  not  very  authentic,  thev 
never  can  deny  what  is  of  public  notoriety  and  contra- 
uict  the  voice  of  the  people.       ***** 

"It  is  to  his  beneficent  Majesty  that  we,  the  planters, 
merchants  and  colonists  of  Louisiana,  address  our  most 
humble  prayers,  that  he  may  immediately  resume  pos- 
session of  the  colony ;  and  being  resolved  to  livd  and 
die  under  his  dear  domination,  as  well  as  determined  to 
do  all  that  may  be  required  for  the  prosperity  of  his 
arms,  the  extension  of  his  power,  and  the  glory  of  his 
reign,  we  supplicate  him  to  deign  to  preserve  to  us  our 
Patriotic  name  of  Frenchmen,  our  laws  and  our  privi- 

The  whole  of  this  long  document  is  interesting,  as 
representing  the  manners,  the  sentiments,  the  pas^ons, 
feelings,  and  talents  of  the  time,  but  it  is  a  confused 
mixture  of  truths  and  errors,  and  is  written  in  very  de- 
fective  style.      It  must  be  remarked,  in  connexion  with 
it,  that,  with  regard  to  the  monopoly  of  trade  granted 
by  Uloa  ,n  the  Illinois  district,  it  had  been  already  es- 
tabhshed  by  D'Abbadie  in  17G 1,  and  that  such  gLus 
had  been  so  frequent,  since  the  foundation  of  the  colo- 
ny,  that  Its  inhabitants  must  have  been  accustomed  to 


APPOINTMENT   OF    A   COMMITTEE    OF   INQUIRY.     217 

the  system,  and  that  it  could  not  be  anticipated  that  they 
would  resent  so  acutely  its  continuation,  wrong  as  it 
certainly  was.      As  to  the  hyperbolical  exprcssk)ns  of 
inviolable  attachment  and  unshakable  devotion  for  tl 
glorious  person  of  Louis  XV.,  of  Louis  the  well  beloved, 
It  may  be  permitted  to  wonder  at  the  foundations  on 
winch  rested  such  sentiments.     Such  was  not  the  judg- 
mcnt  of  tmnce  herself  on  this  degraded  prince,  who, 
without  a  feeling  of  remorse  or  shame  in  his  royal 
breast,  had  allowed  her  to  be  stript  of  her  magnificent 
colonies  which  extended  without  interruption  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Mississippi  to  that  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
and  who,  instead  of  usinjr  her  treasures  in  carryincr  on 
a  glorious  war,  and  in  defending  her  immense  Ameilcan 
<  onHuns,   lavished   them   away   among   vile   flatterers, 
nng  them  in  the  lap  of  ignoble  courtezans,  and  wasted 
his  long  and  worthless  life  amidst  the  orgies  of  a  cor- 
rupt  court  and  the  impurities  of  that  famous  seat  of  de- 
bauchery, called  the  Pare  aux  cerfs  and  imagined  for 
his  special  benefit,  without  caring  probably,  and  per- 
liaps  without  knowing,  in  what  part  of  AmeHca  Loiisi- 
ana  was  situated,  and  certainly  without  conccivincx  that 
hcyond  the  Atlantic,  there  were  men  who  regretted  his 
domination.  ^ 

The  Superior  Council  had  begun  with  decieein-r  at 
once  the  expulsion  of  Ulloa,  and  six  days  after  his^de- 
parture  they  ordered  an  inquest  in  relation  to  the  mis- 
oeds  of  which  this  officer  was  accused.     It  seems  that 
this  should  have   been  the  first  thing  to  be  done.     A 
com.mttee   of    inquiry    was   appointed,   composed    of 
Huchet  de  Kermon  and  Piot  de  Launay.      The  wit- 
ncsses     heard,    corroborated    some   of    ihe   assertions 
made   by  Lafi-eniere,   in  his   address   to  the   Superior 
Council,  and  those  that  were  set  forth  in  the  memorial 
of  the  planters  and  merchants,  in  justification  of  the 


^i 

'i 

■  ■  ,t 

!. 
i^ 

{ 

i 

1  : 
^  ■  l. 

\  .\ 


218 


DKPOSITIONS    OF    Tin:    WITNESSI^S. 


-von,  c.,i,d,.o„  nnn,.,.:. it'iir,,:!^;  *::::,?".;::' 

mccuolty  to  scmliliom  to  the  l!,-,liy,,.    whore  iiono  of 
to    c  w  „|>p„l  ,„  Now  Orleans,  i„  onlor  to  |,lou,,o  l,'' 
.'"","'«  "'I'»l" t-S  miKl,  to  tl,oi,-  nroLlico  wmoh 

^zrzrT'  r  •"'""• ""™ ""  '-o  .iirit 

pin  rshcd ,  that,  for  his  own  personal  convonionco    ho 

"<  ionoroachod  o„  a  stroC,  which  h.-  l,a,I  r,.,  ccT'to  a 

.K  h  ol  .„,v,oo„  foot,  and  that  l,c  had  thoush,    ro  o  ■  to 

ronTri-fi'  ""' S'"- <"■  "-  town,  still  J  hi: 
peisoiial  gratjficution. 

rcvoron<U.-.,",lI'"n"'"r'-'  '''i'"''"'""-'   '^  that  of  the 
«>o" ™|  ni    ,    ^T^'"''  "'='"-J-'«'n<'ral  and  ourato.   He 

10  sacu.  out  of  niarnngo  to  l,c  administcrod  m  his  own 
l«'">;0  by  Ins  chaplain,  without  ,l,o  io,H,iro,l,  p -ov Z 
pii  il.ca.,o,,s,  and  without   tho   usual  Ib'rn.ali  i,!^,?", 

o,     1     "'^i,  """■'■'"''   "oroawhitcnianaud  a  black 
«oni,.n       Tho  witness  declares  that  I nnrrin.re  took 

n:::rthe""*  I'r  tt""'-  "'■'  "''•'■'• "-' '™- 1  : 

tl  at  10  ha,  mass  said  ni  il,  li.r  ,.i„|itoeii  months  l,v  lli, 
cliaplau,  of  the  fngate,  and,  liirlliAmoro,  tlia     li'o  o  wt 
no  d«.o,it  place  for  the  ostahlisliiiioi,,  of  sa         i,  „  , 
n  said  house.     Tho  deponent  allirms  tha,  Miss  I       „' 

said  Illloa  had  carried  her  up  ii,  triumph  to  Now  Orl, 'iiis 
pretending  to  have  married  lier  at  tho  Bali.o,  wlioro  the 


■«">:  .OILVC/S  LETT,:,.  TO  T„n  n„KE  OF  ,.aAS,,,N.  219 

m.pli|,l  l,ono,liclion  l,»,l  boon  a,Imi„i,tcro,l  to  thorn  by 
1I.C  clu,|,l,t,„  o(  tl,o  Injraio,  but  witl.cut  tl.c  ,,or.„i,.,ion 

°i.d,':;i',i;;'i"'' """,""':'"  "■"  '■'"'"'^"'  ■-'■"li-ation 

CO    1^  ?o  "°'-  '"T"'"'  ""•"■■  1"=""  "Ulborizod  to 

CO  d  ;t<  '"'""™, '"  "',"  '"■"""™-  '""'her  D„gob,.rt 
so,K  i ,  h'^';'"'  ","  ""f  '"■■'"'"8"  ''"^  c.„«ed  much 
I, ,™!''  '".""■•  '""-•  '""<  "I">"'"1  timorous  ,u„l  scrunu- 
ous  cou«c,e„ccs,  n„,l  ,b.t  it  i,  bolievcl  to  be  clan,  o,- 
.0  on  „oe„un,  of  ibo  ,v.n,  of  con.plinncc  with  tho 
civil  and  cnnon  tonus  and  laws. 

On  tho  aai  of  November,  the  Superior  Council  ad- 
di-esse,  to  ll,e  Dnke  ofPn.sliu  a  lo  ter,  iu  uhici  lut 
bofflo,  !,„„,„  support  ,he  .epresonlations  tliey  n  t^ 
I'c  laid  at  the  foot  of  the  throne.     In  this  letfer  "hey 

1     "y',     o       "  ,""  ";."  ',^™"">'  ^-'^""'"ci.y,  and  i,,flo.vi- 

doc.™!  o  T  "'  "'"'  ""^"'''  '■""'  ""=  ''•™»'-™  in- 

decency ol  Ins  deportment.     They  said:  "The  court 

S,  nd  ,v,tl,out  b,.n,g  recreant  to  the  most  essential 

I   "."ol""'"""''  ''^  '■"''"'""  ™''  '"""""''y-  -«-« '" 

I  ,?    "^■'^"■™:"""  ""*■'■  '•■'  ""«-i<'»:ilie  ju.stiee 

"liKii  U  eianued,  w,lh  so  unich  earnesti„.ss,  against  the 

,-  K'Cl   the  Conned  eerhunly  pn.venlo.l  the  counnission 

I  .1  Mrdung  act  ot  .l..spair,  which  woid.l  have  tarnished 

le  li,sln=  ol  ,1,..  r-V,.neh  name,     rn.ler  ,l,e  inlhieuc    of 

.  le  re,!"    r?'"  ''""•■'  '"'"''•"■'^  "S"inst  tha,  officer  a 

0,0    "'  't"  I"'',"  ""^'^  ''"  '""""'I"''  '"  >»'"•  Evcel. 

V    L  u  ■'■"""  """™"'  "'"  'l«ument,  eon- 

.    u,,„  ,h„  repres..nlal,o„s,  „  hieh  ,vere  to  be  laid  belb,-e 
the  l\nig,  ,u  the  name  of  llie  Council 
III  thos..  rop,-esoulalions,  ,|,e  Council  made  tho  most 

tl      1,  no"  ";f' ■'I'"""  <"'  ">«  l»-o.perity  of  the  eol.a.y  at 
the  time  of  the  cession,  a  descrij: 


m 

< 


1 

i 


i't 


, 


lion  wliich  it 


IS  1 


mpos- 


220 


REPRESENTATIONS    TO    THE    KING. 


f!i 


'M     I 


I  .  I  ■ 


wfth  ini  "r"  'L  ^^^responding  with  facts.     But 

witl.  Ulloa  as  they  affirmed,  came  the  most  disastrous 

/A.  7W,"  they  sa,d,  "on  //^e  22./  of  February,   1166. 

6./«n^.  0/  TVm.  Or/mn.,  on  the  ruh  of  .March,  at  noon- 
After  ment.on„.g  these  bad  omens,  (hey  thei  recap  t- 
lated  tl  e  grievances  which  have  already  been  stated 
and  made  to  them  some  additions,  for  ins'lance:     £ 
Ulloa  mamtanied  that  he  was  the  king  of  the  colony 
tha   he  treated  with  the  utmost  contempt  tiie  Superio 
Counci,  whose  powers  lie  wished  to  destroy,  and  vio- 
ated  a]    those  rights  which  had  been  secured   by  the 
and  Jlin    ,'^^^^'°".^"^the  King's  letter  to  D'Abbadie; 
and  that  Jie  carried  the  infraction  of  the  most  sacred 

among   other   powers,   exclusive   jurisdiction   over   al 
questions  connected  with  the  regulations  or  decrees  on 
exportation,  importation,  and  other  commercial  matters 
1  he  sentences  rendered  by  that  tribunal  were  annexed 
to  the  petition,  in  order  that  the  King  might  judge  of 
heir  illega  ity.      The  Superior  Council  furlher  alleged 
ha   three  Acadian  families,  having  arrived  in  the  colfny 
at  their  own  expense,  asked  Ulloa  for  leave  to  buy  land 
m  the  vicinity  of  their  relations  and  friends,  in  the  ui> 
per  part 01  the  Mississippi  river;  but  that  Ul'loa,  irriti 
ed  by  the  cries  of  their  clnldren,  by  the  critical  state  of 

and  bTn  ""  '"  ^'"  '''  ^^  '^^^«"""^^  ^^  '-ther, 

and  by  the  representations  of  the  men,  forbade  their  re- 

maining  in  the  colony,  and  had  them  put  on  board  of  an 

Y'g'isli  ship  sailing  for  New  England ;  and  that  he  de- 

c  ared  his  intention  to  sell  as  slaves  other  Acadians,  who 

had  dared  to  make  some  humble  representations  to  him- 

that  the   subjects    of    France    were    threatened   with 


RErRESENTATIOlVS    TO    THE    KING.  221 

Slavery,  wl.ilst  Nogroos  wore  raised  by  doprocs  to  the 
d.gn.ty  of  froomon;  that  ho  hastened  to  show 
antipathy  to  the  pop.dation  of  the  colony,  by  sendin.  to 
Havana  for  a  nurse  for  his  child,  in  order  that  it  nd^h' 
not  suck  one  drop  of  French  blood.  "  What  pernidoll 
pnnaplcs  arc  these  !"  they  exclaimed  "  W/.l/l  7 
dispositions  r  ^  ^''''^  harharous 

They  further  represented  that,  through  the  mis- 
deed,  of  Ulloa,  the  colony  had  been  thrown  into  such  a 
state  of  nusery,  that  half  of  it  was  reduced  to  live  o,^ 

Fouc!^.l''T  '  T\  '''"'  ^'''""*  ^''^  ^^'^^  precautions  of 
Foucault  who  had  a  certain  quantity  of  these  articles 
of  k>od  brought  down  to  New  Orleans,  fathers  and 
mothers  would  have  had,  even  in  the  capital,  nothing  to 
offer  but  tears  to  the  plaintive  cries  of'  their  famisled 
chddren  ;   that  the  people  became  persuaded  that  Ulloa 

and  that  he  was  determined  to  reduce  the  subjects  of 
France  to  have  no  other  food  than  the  tortilla  *  that  a 
general  feelmg  of  despair  pervaded  the  colony  ;  that  all 
the  colonists,  deprived  of  their  ordinary  aliments,  were 
condemned  to  fatten  vampires  with  their  life  blood,  and 
tliat,  by  a  malicious  and  restrictive  legislation,  they  were 
prevented  from  acquiring  the  means  of  paying  their  old 
debts.  1  he  Superior  Council  then  proceeded  to  relate 
the  events  winch  preceded  the  revolution,  those  of  the 
revolution  itself,  and  what  had  followed.  They  con' 
c  uded  with  supplicating  the  King  to  retake  possession 
of  the  colony,  and  annul  the  treaty  of  cession. 

"  Your  Majesty,"  they  said,  "  will  find  in  all  the  citi- 
zens  brave  soldiers,  who  offer  to  shed  their  blood  and 
sacrifice  their  fortunes,  to  protect  the  Mexican  provinces 
of  ^pain  and  to  support  your  allies,  provided  they  beloncr 


the 


rrl:::i:;;i,:tf  a  ;;;'^^  -"'  ^"  '^"^'<='"  ^^^-^  ^--^  ^^•■-^  -  ^^^  -  '-d,  ■.. 


,;i". 


pie. 


222 


iiepkhsentatioss  to  tiik  kino. 


o"ly  to  you,  Sire,  their  most  honored  I  „r,l  nn.l  i- 
I.OM,s  tho   well   beloved.     O   .rr,  u     'i, ,:      ,  "^'. 

l<i"!;.S  liithor  a„<l  protocto'  o    '  „,  r    *"i  ''?'  °' 

Sire,  ,o  receive  i„  o  ^^  rov.f  T,d  n'^'""','  ,''"'"'' 
.o.,r  devoted  c„„dre„,^vhor.  To. ,     Zl  t: 

«..,,.  irted;;xt;;tpS? 

nts  conferred  bv  tho  l)Pst  ofi-;,.  .  mcoenc- 

r,:i':-:irr-  "'"" 

uessings  ofa  sovernment  which  is  envied   hvill  tie 
ocdr  to  then,  ,i  proportion  ns  fron,  childhood  ther  .now 

of  such  a  ^  n  T       '"'  '"'^^  ''^^  ^«'"  tlio  subjects 

or  such  a  King  as  Louis   the  well   belovpH  f     li  • 
again,  Sire,  listen  with  favor  to  th!       ''"''^'^.•,  ^^""'S^ 

racteri  "   ,t  ,r  1"     '  """'""■'•'"'  "»"g»»ge  which  cha- 


Foi;cAi.i.T'»  LKTTKU  T,.  Tiin  nnKi:  OF  PKASI.IV.  23:i 
anger  a„<l  l,ulr,.d.     No„c  coul.l  believe  llmt  ,V  ,™,  ,4. 

^''y.  '.'/•?/  '/<«r  ,W,™,-^  „rt,,/,,,     yy;,„,,    ^ 

mler  tl.a.  those  „l,„  oouW  hol.l  it  a.,  a  heinou       i^^^  ° 

oo  prejudiee.    or  too  irritale.l  to  see  tl,i„„"  „  ,^Z 

cu,r<,<l.     II  ere  were  goo.1  grounds  lor  suspectin.'  the.,, 
of  swerv„.g  lro„.  ,r,„h,  perhaps  i„volunta,-ily  and  unco™ 
sciously,  ...  their  aljegutions.     The  fact  is  tll^^ 

■night  have  bee.,  son.e  j„st  reproaeho,  to  I 'e     n      "'". 
to  niin-i   hilt  tl,...  1-     ;■    „      1^        ""■' '°  nc  addressed 
to  ulloa,  but  that  h.s  faults  were  for  fi-om  beine  as  se 
nous  as  they  were  reprosc.ited  to  be  ^ 

W.th  regar.l  to  the  ,.ew  tribunal  established  by  Ull  ,a. 
n..d  wh.ch  was  the  eause  of  so  many  bitter  co.lh  „  !* 
"S  usurp,,,,  the  powers  of  the  Supe,-ior  CouZT 
co,„posed  of  three  Span,ards  :  t'oyola,  tl,:  co,, ',„   :" 
ol  war;  Don  Estevan  Antonio  Gayarre,  the  eontador 
or  royal   co„,pt,ol  er ,   Don  Jose  Mefchior  dTeo  t" 
he  co„,„,a„der  ol  his  Catholic  Majesty's  frigate    aid 
four  Irenehnen  :  Keggio,  u  retired  captain  on„fa„,ry 
O  ,v,er  de  Vez,,,,  chief  surveyor  of  the  colo.,y"De  La 

With  the  Superior  Council's  address  to  the  Kinc 
thi're  went  at  the  siune  ti,ne  a  letter  from  p„  ,  ^' 
the  DuKe  of  Praslin,  i.,  which  he  Ist  fed  as  weT  h': 
could  but  „,  very  guarded  langua^,  the  revowL   ba 

exhib,t.ng  his  credentiais/'Lt^^rAr;;::  r: 

Inmself.    He  was  very  harsh  and  absolute,  oi'ZZ'^ 


L.l 


t 


If.' 


f  l-^i 


Airnnv^s  lettkr  to  tiii;  dijkr  of  i-rasmx. 


difficult  access,  and  rof„,si„^,  to  listen  to  every  roprescn- 
tation.     He  sl.ovve<l  without  the  l,>a.st  hesitafion  or  e„„i. 
vocation  an  nnj.lacahle  hatred  for  the  I-'rench  nation,  and 
marked  every  day  that  he  passed  here  with  acts  of  i„. 
.unnan.ty  and  despotism."     I  fe  then  goes  into  the  details 
of  al    his  exertions  to  prevent  the  expulsion  of  Ulloa, 
an(    declares  that  it  originated  in   the  many  causes  of 
irrita  ion  and  provocation  which  the  people  had ;  he 
mys  that  he  harangued  them  several   times  to  induce 
tK.n  to  remain  quiet,  and  affirms,  in  direct  contradic- 
tion ofAubry's  declarations  in  one  of  his  despatches 
hat,  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  insurrection,  he  joined 

nind  He  concludes  with  saying  that  all  the  colonists 
hope  o  resume  the  privileges  and  name  of  Frenchmen 
and  that  rather  than  lose  these  precious  advantages' 
they  would  quit  the  colony  with  their  negroes,  chattels' 
goods  and  all  the  other  property  suscq>tible  of  S 
earned  away,  leaving  nothing  but  a  desert  to  the  Sm- 
niards.  ^ 

wrnioT^.f'^"  '"'"■•""  ""  -^"'  "f  November,  A  „brv 
wrote  to  tlic  same  minister  :  "  I  |,e,r  yo„,  ,„v  I  onl  to 

deign  to  cam  your  eye  o„  a  letter,  wiT  J,  1  'hajtl. lI'J: 

to  write  to  you,  on  the  IlOlh  of  March,  17(17.     You  will 

see   m  three  Hiflerent  passages,  that  I   Corosaw  the  „„ . 

you  that  Mr.  de  Uiloa  wa.s  not  the  projier  person  to 

h,°s7ale„;'",  .^^y- .""'";"'•'*'"■'<'"«  •-  vast  intellect, 
h.8  talents.  Ins  learning.  Ins  great  reputation  in  all  the 

academies  of  Europe,  and  although  lie  is  full  of  honor! 
of  probity,  and  of  zeal  for  the  service  of  his  sovereig, 
He  does  not  possess  the  necessary  .jualificatioiis  to 
command  Frenehmen.  Instead  of  endeavoring  to -an 
the  hearts  (wliieh  is  absolutely  necessary  in  a  change 
of  government,)   he  has  done  all  that  could  tend  to 


AirilKY's    LETTER  TO    TIIR    mrKE    OF  PRASLIN.      225 

iilionato   them.     He  soomod  to  dospiso  the  first  nion  of 
the  colony,  and  piirticnhirly  the  nimnhors  of  the  Supe- 
rior Conned.     My  his  indiscreet   expressions,   and   by 
threats  which  shadowed   the  forthcomin^r  of  a  frjaht- 
tnl  despot.sn.,  he  caused  the  Spanish  domination  to  be 
clreaued,  and  ^rnvo  rise  to  the  supposition  that  he  did  not 
like  our  nation,     lie  has  alarmed  every  body,  and,  by  a 
deportment  as  unbecon.infr  as  it  was  surprising  in  a 
man  o(  so  distinguished  a  mind,  he  has  not  a  little  con- 
tributed to  draw  down  upon  himself  and  his  nation  the 
storm  which  has  swept  him  away. 

"In  another  letter  of  the  4th  of  April,  17G8,  I  had 
the  honor  to  inform  you  of  the  deplorable  state  and  of 
the  (rightful  misery  to  which  this  colony  is  reduced. 
Ihe  uncertainty  about  the  ultimate  fate  of  the  French 
F)aper  currency,  the  prolonged  delays  in  the  payment  of 
the  debts  ot  his  Catholic  Majesty,  who  has  assumed  the 
expenses  of  the  colony,  the  scarcity  of  specie,  the  in- 
solv.-.ljihty  of  three  fourths  of  the  debtors,  a  diminution 
m  the  value  of  lands  and  negroes  and  of  every  kind  of 
property,  amounting  to  a  loss  of  two  thirds,  the  regret 
ot  passing  under  a  foreign  domination,  which   inspires 
the  i)eoplc  with  the  apprehension  of  their  being  unhappy 
the  Governor's  want  of  capacity  to  conciliate  the  attec-' 
tion  and  esteem  of  the  inhabitants,  the  news  of  a  decree 
rendered  by  his  Catholic  Majesty,  which  deprives  the 
colony  of  its  commerce  with  the  Islands  and  with  France 
—all  these  motives  united,  and  made  still  more  power- 
ful by  the  effects  of  the  extreme  misery  which  has  pre- 
vailed here  for  so  long  a  time,  and  which  increases  daily, 
have  at  las*  goaded  the  people  into  desperati^  i,  and 
produced  this  fatal  revolution,  which  would  not  have 
happened,  had  I  had  at  hand  only  a  body  of  tlirce  hun- 
dred men. 


'  i 


•llh-' 


15 


I 

'I 


,  I 


22G 


AUBRY'S    LETTER  TO    THE    DUKE    OF  PRasun. 


"  It  would  pcrhcaps  be  dangerous,  at  this  mnmnnf    i 

':rjT  """"'^  '"•"  '"^  ^-•''  -- J  of  Sot'n : 

ami  of  1,0  ngorous  ,„u,i>,hmont»  to  wliici,  tl,cy  ov»"«o 

privileges  ;fF,.oncl,mcr''  ■«™<'.  d'aractor  und 

they  had  ostablished  their  head  „   .^T'a"      "■''" 


POSITION  OF   THE    REVOI.IJTIOIVI.STS.  337 

the  work  of  four  years,  and  all  the  .lispositions  which  I 
had  taKenonbohalfoftho  crown  of  Spain.  An  uda' 
c.on»  ,,ct,t,on  msnlting  to  the  Spanish  iation,  rebolC 
asa.nst  the  K,ng  of  Franco,  whose  orders  it  ,"  , 
naught  and  signed  I,y  six  hundred  planters  and  other 
ud,„l,,.an.s  was  presented  .0  demand  Ulloa's  ex  I 
smn,"&c  &e._Snch  being  the  light  under  which  a 
I'rench  Governor  considered  this  act  of  the  colonists  i^ 

not  aston,sh,ng  that  the  Spaniards  should  have  lol 
"pon  ,t  as  a  most  hcnous  offence,   and   should   have 
punished  it  accordingly. 

Thus  was  the  revolution  accomplished.     A  ponula- 
tion,  which  hardly  numbered  eighteen  hundred  m™, 
able  to  carry  .arms,  and  which  had  in  its  bosom  sever" 
thousands  ot  Wack  slaves,  whom  it  was  necessary  ^ 
intimidate  mto  subjection,  had  rebelled  againsl  tl7w  » 
of  !•  ranee,   had    flung    the  gauntlet  at  the    .Span's 
monarchy,  and  was  bearding  a  powerful  notion.wZse 
.hstinguished  trait  of  character  did  not  consist  i,    ,1  e 
forgiveness  of  injuries,  particularly  when  her  piLle  was 
wound,i,l.     With  regard  to  France,  it  was  evident  tn 
.t  was  vam  to  rely  on  her  support,  since  it  was    it 
consciousness  o    her  weakness  which  had  compel  ed 
her  to  give  up  ,l,„t  colony,  and  to  offer  it  to  the'Ki„1 
of  Spain,   who   did  not  care  fbr  it.     Ilesidcs,  sl3 
France  have  been  dispos«l  to  assist  the  coloni  ts,  how 
could  she  withdraw  the  donation  she  had  pressed  uZ 
S>pa.n,  without  mdemaifying  her  for  her  expenses  inZ 
colony,  and  without  ,,u„isliing  the  authors  of  an  o 
rage,  to  which  she  lad  e.xpose.l  an  ally,  whoso  soil 
object,  m  accepting  tl  c  donation  of  Lotiisiana,  wa    to 
be  serviceable  to  the  donor!    The  colonists  I  „d  fon. 
since  sent  to  France  intelligent  men,  as  delegate    "S 
urge  upon  the  king  their  wisiies,  that  the  c.Zss  on  If 
Louisiana  be  rescinded;  and  those  delegates,  on  thel 


;;  i^ 


If 

•II 


228 


m  < 


a  ' 


,i»  ;, 


LETTERS   OF   ITLLOA   ON   THE   REVOLUTIOIV. 


return,  must  have  informed  tliem  of  tlic  true  state  of 
tlunss    and  made  it  known  to  tl.em,  l>ow  fru  fes  t 
would  be,  to  endeavor  to  force  France  into  tl  e   esu,  ,„ 
t>on  o.  a  provu,ce.  which  she  considered  as  a  burZ 
and  whose   expenses   she   could   no   longer  meet    on 
account  of  the  embarrassed  situation  of"ler  ^ance 
It  .s  therefore  impossible  not  to  be  astonished  at  seein. 
one  of  these  delegates  engaged  in  a  conspiracy  a^aZf 
the  Spaniards,  and  not  to  wonder  at  the  temerily If  ,Te 
colon,st«,  m  atle„,pti„g  a    revolution,  of  wMeh   t  e 
du-eful  consequences  to  them  it  «•■,,  !>„.  .„ 
foresee.  "'"">"«  as  but  too  easy  to 

on  tne  4th  ot  December,  wrote  as  follows  to  the  M-ii- 
qms  o  Grnnaldi,  one  of  the  „,inisters  in  SpLin  : 

Ihere  bemg  a  rumor,  on  the  28th  of  October  that 
IthraTt^l',""""'"'  '°  "'""^'^  '"^  '--  during'  le 

.hem,  in  U\l  'ile"  m-eTorfoim-rr  .t 
reasurers  of  his  Majesty,  as  rebels  general 7    oct^j' ^ 
a  case  ol  msurrection,  and  having  been  wlrneTni 
hat  they  bad  resolved  to  do  the  sLe " "tl     1  e trng" 
treasury,  where  they  expected  to  find  a  canita  of  .1  *^ 
than  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  to  a  tack  7 
fr.ga,e   of  his  Majesty,   the    KoW,,  t„  ^h  d,    tl   v 
imagined  also  that  there  was  money  and    fi,  .1      .  ^ 
the,r  .ntention  was  to  get  hold  of^i.cp'   e"  '^f "" 
government,   and    particularly  of  my  corrcsnLd 
With  your  Excellency,  I  retired  on  Z.ZZmZ" 
whither  I  carried  along  with  me  all  the,„  1      ^      ' 
order  to  keep  then,  safe'fron.  al7da;ter  ""'""'  '" 

in..  ?had;ren 'alllr  '"'""'  ^"-^  °'  "'""  '™  "rew- 
'»„,  1  naa  taken  all  the  measures  which  cirmm^fn^ 

had  perniitted.  to  put  the  frigate  in  a  ^latt  "^tfrn/e: 


lETTERS   OF   «I,LOA  ON   THE    REVOLUTION.        229 

attempt  of  the  k.nd  had  been  made  on  the  I,t  of 
November,  when  I  embarked  with  all  mv  household  hf 
n  I-reneh  ship  for  Havana,  in  conformity  wh  the 
summons  wh,cl,  had  been  addressed  to  me. 

.l>c   m™  i:  o'f"'th'  ''°"'"''"','  '"""  °™'  "-  ''""t 

den  «,,;„!'  "  '"'y.P'^'"'"'  "■■'"go'ion.  «he  result  of  a 
dcpar  uro  so  precipitate  as  not  to  give  me   time   t 
provide  for  any  thing.  "  ""^   '" 

"  I  briefly  related  to  the  Governor  of  this  place  what 
had  happened  and,  in  the  evening  of  the  .s„ me  dav  a 

piopti    to  do,   ,n    order   to   afford   assistance    lo  .h„ 
•Spanish  and  French  troops  in  I.ouisianr    li".  t 

most  I  kely  to  meet  the  views  of  his  Majesty.    Tl "  last 
council  was  co,„po.,ed  of  the  Governor,  of  the  m1,i  , 

.';ftr;t":rrair'''' ""' "'' '"'"-"  "^^^^ 

and  dihculties  that  may  arise,  but  also  to  furnish  you 
tt  c^^"'',  """  "^■"^^■•y  "'fo^a'ions  to  ecu  e 
regaid  to  the  principal  chiefs  of  the  rebellion  or  on 
other  points,  for,  I  an,  aware  that,  in  such  cat,  t Is 
very  important  to  know  well,  not  o^ly  the  injure  of  h„ 
n-ins  to  he  employed,  but  also  the  "^^ime  nd  ,  ,e  c  . 
cumstances  most  opportune  for  their  use.    Bu    those 


I 


' 


II 


n 


230 


LETTERS   OF    L1.LOA   ON    THE    REVOLUTION. 


gentlemen  were  of  a  different  opinion,  and  it  seemed  to 
them  that  it  would  be  more  prudent  lor  me,  to  wait  for 
the  orders  oi  his  Majesty,  to  execute  what  it  micrht 
please  him  to  decide  in  this  affair,  and  they  thought 
that  the  interval  of  four  or  live  months,  which  it  would 
require  to  receive  the  instructions  of  his  Majesty,  would 
not  be  detrimental  to  his  service. 

"I  therefore  yielded  to  their  sentiment,  although  with 
reluctance,  considering  that  much  time  would  have 
been  gained,  had  I  followed  my  first  impulse,  since  it 
would  have  been  as  easy  for  me  to  go  to  Spain  as  to 
forward  a  letter." 

At  the  same  time,  he  sent  to  the  Marquis  of  Grimaldi 
a  despatch  containing  a  relation  of  the  events  of  the 
28th  and  29tli  of  October,  and  the  following  observa- 
tions : 

'•  1  beg  you  to  recall  to  your  memory  a  letter,  which 
1  wrote   to  you  in  March,  17GG,  a  few  days  after  my 
arrival  m  New-Orleans,  in  relation  to  the  character  of 
the  inhabitants.     What  I  communicated  to  you  on  (he 
subject,  was  founded  on  the  preliminary  informations 
which  Governor  Aubry  had  given  to  me,  and  on  a  letter 
which  I  received  from  Mr.  do  Kerlerec,  in  which  he 
gave  me   an  abstract  description  of  the    colony,  and 
pitied  me  much  for  having  been  sent  to  govern  such  a 
country  and  finally,  on  what  I  had  experienced  myself, 
during  the  few  days  that  had  elapsed  since  my  coming 
to  this  province,  as  well  as  on   the  liberty  which  the 
merchants   had  taken,   to  present  me  with  a  kind  of 
mam  esto,   containing    different   articles,   on   each    of 
which  they  asked  me  for  a  decision,  in  order  that  they 
might  frame  their  measures  accordingly.   I  sent  to  your 
Excellency  a  copy  of  that  memorial,  in  order  that  you 
might  know  the  audacity  of  the  people  with  whom  you 
would  have  to  deal,  who  aimed  at  no  less  than  forcing 


I 


LETTERS   OF    ULLOA   OX    THE    REVOLUTION.         231 

llicir  sovereign  to  capitulate  with  them,  and  whose 
expressions,  ikr  from  being  respectful  and  supplicating, 
were  imperious,  insolent  and  threatenin.r. 

"  About  three  months  before  the  outbreak  of  the 
revolution  It  was  known  that  Mr.  de  Bienville,  the 
brother  of  Noyan,  and  Mr.  Masan,  the  son  of  the  con- 
p.rator  of  that  name,  had  gone  secretly  to  Pensacola, 
through  a  canal  on  the  plantation  of  the  latter,  which 
communicated  with  lake  Borgne,  without  its  bein. 
ascertained  what  was  the  object  of  their  voyage. 

About  the  same  time,  a  Frenchman,  who  was  a 
stranger  m  the  colony,  and  who  had  come  to  take 
possession  of  certain  property  belonging  to  his  nephews, 
hen  in  France  and  minors,  being  exasperated  at  a 
decree  which  the  Council  had  rendered  against  him, 
under  the  dictation  of  Lafrenierc,  and  witnessing  mJ 
want  of  power  to  have  done  to  him  such  justice  as  he 
thought  he  deserved,  assured  me  that  tliere  were  traitors 
in  the  town  and  that  those  traitors  were  persons 
intrusted  with  high  powers,  giving  me  to  understand 
that  they  were  the  very  persons  who,  to-day,  make  a 
ligure  at  the  head  of  the  insurrection. 

"  When  the  insurrection  began  to  manifest  itself,  the 
persons  who  were  not  participators  in  it,  and  whose 
number  was  pretty  considerable,  loudly  declared  what 
had  been  the  motive  of  Bienville  and  Masan's  visit  to 
lensacola,  and  the  conspirators  themselves  did  not 
hesitate  to  confess,  that  these  emissaries  had  gone  to 
solicit  the  assistance  of  the  English  governor  general, 
and  to  beg  him  to  send  troops  to  support  the  rebels, 
after  the  breaking  out  of  the  insurrection.  It  seems 
mat  the  Governor's  answer  was  not  favorable.  For,  the 
said  Governor,  having  reflected  maturely  on  tliat  affair, 
sent  them  back,  without  encouraging  their  designs. 
"  It  IS  proper  that  your  Excellency  should  know  that 


■n 


232 


LETTERS    OF    ULLOA   ON    THE    REVOLUTION. 


her  plans  underwent  more  than  one  modification,  and 
that  one  ot  them  was,  as  reported,  to  transform  this 
colony  into  a  republic,  under  the  protection  of  En-r. 
land ;  but  seemg  that  they  could  not  obtain  from  her 
the  assistance  which  they  wished  for,  they  came  to  the 
determmatiou  to  rise  witho-  ^^  and  tu  trample  under 
toot  the  orders  of  their  SO'  *  « 

*  *  *  *  * 

"Hence  the  origin  of  the  conspiracy.  It  is  proper 
that  should  make  you  acquainted  with  the  inlerests 
and  the  relations  of  the  inhabitants  among  themselves, 
m  order  to  give  to  every  one  his  due. 

"  The  commissary  Foucault  has  always  kept  up  a 
scandalous  connection  with  a  certain  widow  called 
Pradel,  living  with  or,  even  when  he  resided  in  a 
d  fferent  house,  and  frequently  cohabiting  with  her  on  a 

Ncw-Orleans.     About  the  same  time  when    IJienvillc 

PrndJf"'"".  "TT'   '"''''^y   *°    Pensacola,  Madam 

ladel  went  with  Foucault  to  her  plantation,  the  dwel^ 

ng  house  o  which  is  contiguous  to  the  town  and  the  e 

day      On  the  breaking  out  of  the  insurrection,  it  was 
pubhcly  said  that  there  were  in  that  residence  fi-equ  n 

wlT'oth"'"'  ""'^  '^"^^"^  '-^^'•^'•"-•^'  ^-  -'^tions 
and  the  other  conspirators,  and  that,  after  the  convivi- 

ahties   were   over,    these  men  passed  the  rest  of  the 
night  m  the  garden,  where  they  had  their  confereL  . 
o  tha   It  IS  not  doubtful  but  that  the  blow  was  s  tuc  k 
irom  that  quarter.  ^'' 

"  ^^1;^  ^f  Pt'-^in  of  the  German  militia,  called  Villere 

me   niece   of  D  Arensbourg,   who   commands    at   the 
German   Coast.     The   captain   of  the    Tchoupitou 
mihtia  is  an  individual  named  Leiy,  who  is  LafrS 


I.KTTERS   OF    CL..OA   o»    Til,!    REVOL„T.ON.        233 

loLTf'W  "","'  "'"  ''"'""'''  of  I-f^^ni^^o  are  sup. 

n  aM  „,  ■         ''■'"'"  """  "'"  "''°l«  •'olony  is  put 
m^a  state  o(  insurroct.on  at  the  voiec  of  cue  .single 

people  l,e  L^l  U^o  'Tmrl""!'  '""  """T" 
brothers,  of  the  surname  of  I  '  "  '"""  '"^ 
assumed  Hitler  utrZes  in  r"^'  •"""'  '^''''^^^'-''i'' 

M-<,ir.o  he  eaiie.,  uS-:e  t^:::;;:^.;- ^^^^^^^ 

ioauheu,  au,l  the  fourth,  Chauvin.  Ttese  fou  c";' 
'l.ans  were  of  so  low  an  e.vtrae.ion,  and  had  oh  tie" 
education,  that  they  eould  not  write,  and  had  come  fh 

of  lUrbelN 'r^  """"  ""  "'"''  ""  '^'-'■^  "■"•  """■ors 
"  III  a  letter  which  I  had  the  honor  to  write  to  voiir 
Excellency,  hefore  the  even,  of  the  rebell  o'lVha 
.nionued  you  of  the  precaution  which  I  had  taken  to 
en<  Mr.  Maxent,  with  fifteen  hundred  dollarMo  ,,w 
Jk!  Germans  for  the  provisions  which  had  been  hou'.M 
ho",  them,  ,n  onh.-  ,„  supply  the  Acadians  with  Ih™ 

I  eTcT  ;;',';;"'""'"'•■' '"" "™""'  "---'vcs  „f  t" 

picte.xt,  that  tins  j)ayinont  would  never  be   nnHe     in 

U,,  the  day  following  Maxent's  departure,  r.afivniere 
and  another  individual,  named  Man  uis,  sent,  eirlv  b 
he  morning,  Villere  and  Verret,  in  pursuit  o    M  It 

CXISflflir    no     0n5r(>r.    fl.o^n 1.    ^  •..,/'      ...      '  "^''^' 


I     "! 


i^vr,  these  people  niight*  withdraw  iv 


oni 


231 


LETTERS    OF    ULLOA   ON    THE    REVOLUTIOIV. 


t%<,  i 


the  conspimcy,  and  thus  force  tlie  conspirators  to  give 
up  their  designs.  Maxent  arrived  at  the  plantation  of 
D'Arcnsbourg,  for  whom  I  liad  given  him  a  letter,  and 
when  he  delivered  it  to  that  gentleman,  he  found  him  so 
difl'erent  from  what  he  expected,  that,  notwithstandin<T 
the  very  old  age  of  that  officer,  and  the  unequivocal 
proofs,  already  received,  of  his  fidelity,  he  discovered 
in  him  a  man  who  had  entirely  yielded  to  the  persua- 
sions of  his  relations,  Villere  and  Lery,  who  had 
arrayed  himself  in  the  defence  of  liberty,  and  who  had 
resolved  that  he  should  neither  be  the  subject  of  the 
King,  nor  that  the  colony  should  belong  to  his  Majesty. 

"  Maxent  was  arrested  by  Verrct,  as  he  states  in  his 
declaration,  at  one  Cantrelle's  house,  who  is  the  father 
in  law  of  another  Verret,  commanding  the  Acadians, 
and  where  he  was  exceedingly  ill  used.     The  same  Ver- 
ret, whose  first  name  is  Andre,  has  confirmed  Maxent's 
declaration  to  Mr.  de  Sale,  lieutenant  of  foot,  who  com- 
manded the  detachment  given  to  me  by  the  French 
governor,   for   the  protection  of  my  person   and   my 
papers,  on  the  2d  of  November,  when  the  vessel  in 
Avhich  I  had  embarked  was  moored  in  front  of  the  plan- 
tation of  Madam  D'Aunoy.      Conse(iuently  it  is  proved 
by  the  detention  of  the  person  of  Maxent,  that  a  plot 
had  been  formed  to  seduce  the  province  from  its  fealty 
to  Spain,  by  preventing  the  execution  of  those  measures, 
which  prudence  had  suggested,  to  remove  the  pretexts 
which  were  intended  to  be  put  in  use. 

"The  same  Andre  Verrct  has  declared  to  Mr.  de  Sale 
that,  with  regard  to  the  order  to  arrest  Maxent,  he  had 
received  it  from  Villere,  Lafreniere,  and  Marquis. 

"  Lafreniere  and  Foucault  have  availed  themselves  of 
the  discontent  caused  among  the  merchants  by  the  com- 
mercial  decree.  With  regard  to  the  Acadians  and  Ger- 
mans, they  were  persuaded  to  come  to  town,  to  be  paid 


m 


LKTTERS   OF    ULLOA   OX   THE   REVOLUTION.         O35 

what   was   d\w,   to   (Imm    ;..  i 

uiiL    10   mom    HI    rcliiiburscmont  of   their 
t-wiiidian    bonds.       Acrorifiii.rlv     .1. 
with  il.oi.  ..    ,  •      ,)°"""m<   llioy  came  unarmed, 
"It  ■  llie,,   captains  Jiidice  and  Vcrrot.     It  was  in  town 
tiiat  arms  wore  distributed  to  them. 

"  Alter  llic  success  oC  tlio  rehidlioii,  tlic  Aeadians 
l.on,g  d,scoiiteiile.d  at  their  havin.  b<.en  deceived  ,1 
.•e|.™-hes  to  their  chiefs,  and  c"oinplaiiied  o       'ir 't 

the -la mage  tlioy  had  incurre.l  in  ahandoniii.  their  labors. 

believe  ,l^,T',r"'  ""'■"  ,""■''"'  ''y  ""='■'•  ''«"«  '""J-  to 
0^1,  'rW  I  "'-''■"  ""•"""'"<-)  ^vith  tyranny,  and  by 

the  s,.t' u:;!^""""'  "^  "^■"  "^  "^  -"-"-  "g--t 

the™! '?■""'  T  !'"'  «'■"'"  '""'y  "f  ""=  inlmhitants, 
they  woio  driven  by  lorce  and  violence  into  this  sohenio 
ol  ;,^urrection  by  the  chiefs  of  the  rebels. 

Ihe  Gorinans  and  the  Acadians  arc  novorthoh-ss 
g  rity  of  ingratitude,  because  they  l,a,l  received  ™  b  " 
but^hcnchts  from  the  Spaniards.     They  were  enticed 

"If  there  was  any  scarcity  of  nrovisiorm  in  I'yar   ; 

heniero  were  signed  on  a  blank  piece  of  paper  whid 
vas  subsequently  tilled  up.  It' hears  tie'st,  ,  „ 
Lalreliiere's  style,  which  is  easily  detected,  r^^ha 
I  ocnment  are  to  bo  found  those  arrogant  o.xp rations 
ta  superciliousness  and  that  in.solem  Iroedonivv  h 
«l"ol,  ho  IS  ,n  the  habit   of  declaiming  a-rainst  our 

lo  n- I't"'  T'"'"™'""'  '°  "--'"!''  'I-  i"''"wt«n 
lo  icmain  rrencli. 

"I'mm   tbo   beginning,  I  had  clearly  seen  that  this 
man  would  never  be  a  ti.ilhful  subject  of  the  Kin!' 


'     !' 


I 


II 


i    ' 


'o» 


and 


236 


LETTERS    OF   ULLOA    ON    THE    REVOLUTIOIV. 


that  lio  would  use  all  his  powers  of  eloquence  to  inspire 
the  rest  of  his  countrymen  with  his  sentiments,  and 
your  Excellency  may  rememher  that  I  gave  you  timely 
information  of  it,  in  17G(>.  At  the  same  time  and  in  the 
same  letters,  I  informed  your  Ivxcellency  that  Lafreniero 
was  considerably  in  debt— so  much  so,  that  the  whole 
of  his  property  could  not  pay  the  obligations  he  had 
contracted  in  Franco.  De  Noyan,  his  son  in  law,  Vil- 
lore,  Milhet,  and  the  principal  chiefs  of  the  conspiracy 
are  in  the  same  position. 

"It  would  entirely  suit  their  convenience,  that  this 
colony  should  remain  a  French  possession,  that 
T.afreniere  should  be  the  head  and  the  master  sjjirit  of 
the  Superior  Council,  by  which  means,  he,  Lafreniero, 
would  bo  able  to  defraud  his  baffled  creditors,  and  to 
prevent  his  friends  and  relations  from  bein<T  ruined  by 
their  own  creditors,  which  would  be  the  case,  if  they 
were  compelled  to  pay  their  debts.  Lafreniero  had 
entertained  the  hope  that,  after  the  fall  of  the  Spaniards, 
he  would,  with  the  other  members  of  his  family,  be  able  to 
realize  large  funds,  with  which  J-o  would  retire  to 
France.  FoucaultVs  object  was  to  keep  up  the  colonial 
and  commercial  connection  of  France  with  Louisiana,  in 
order  that  he  might  retain  his  office  of  counselor  and 
commissary,  as  I  have  already  informed  your  Excellency. 

"It  is  not  the  first  time  that  the  seditious  maxims  of 
Lafreniero  have  caused  troubles.  If  Mr.  de  Kerlerec, 
when  he  was  Governor  of  this  colony,  passed  over  the 
intrigues  and  the  practices  by  which  this  turbulent 
spirit  then  agitated  the  colony!^  it  was  because  he  was 
obliged  to  resist,  ai  the  same  time,  both  this  secret  and 
intestine  war  and  an  open  one  from  the  English,  so  that 
he  was  not  prepared  to  take  efficacious  measures  to 
repress  such  disorders. 

"  Mr.  D'Abbadie,  his  successor,  experienced  so  much 


m 


PETITIOX   OF   THR    COLOMSTS. 


2.17 


opposition  and  so  many  inconveniences  from  tlio  same 
source    that  l.e  more  than   once    hud  his  conmlaints 
be  >re     e  court  of  France,  and  represented  the  riskst 
^^hK,h   the   colony    ^vas    exposed    from    the   senseless 
mid.it.on  of  a  suhject,  wlio  pretended  to  unite  in  his  ner- 
son  all  the  powers  of  the  ^.overnment ;  and  he  earnestly 
uisisted  on  the  necessity  of  removin^r  |,i,„  fr,„„   j,,J 
oftce  of    Attorney  (General,  which  had  been  .iven  to 
Inni  only  or  a  lunited  time.     If  the  court  of  France  did 
not  comp  y  with  his  representations,  it  is  because,  the 
cession  of  Louisiana  having,  been  made,  it  was  deemed 
cxped.ent  to  leave  it  to  Spain,  to  act  on  the  reforms 
which  micrht  be  thou<rj,t  necessary." 

So  much  for  Ulloa's  views  and  self-defence.  I3„t  his 
expulsion  had  not  satisfied  the  insurgents,  and,  in  the 
month  of  December  they  presented  another  petition  to 
the  Superior  Council  for  the  expulsion  of  the  Spanish 
tricrate.     It  was  conceived  in  these  terms  : 

"  Mr.  Marquis,  late  commander  of  the  fourth  Swiss 
company,  the  chevalier  De  La  Uonde,  late  lieutenant  of 
foot,  Lc  Breton,  late  guardsman  in  the  Kind's  house 
hold  troops,  all,  syndics*  of  the  planters  amf  colonists 
of  this  province.  Mess.  Caresse  and  IJraquier,  syndics  of 
the  merchants   of  New-Orleans,  represent:    that  the 
frigate  winch  used  to  serve  as  a  prison  to  the  citizens 
oppressed  by  Ulloa,  as  an  asylum  to  the  slaves  who 
rebelled  agamst  their  masters,  and  which  was  but  too 
evident  a  sign  of  the  expiring  freedom  of  navigation, 
tha   this  very  frigate  continues  to  sport  her  flavin  this 
harbor,  where  she  seems  to  domineer;  that  the  posts  of 
Manchac    of    Natchez   and    of   the   Illinois   are   still 
occupied  by  Spanish  garrisons  and  commanders ;  that 

*  A  Syndic  is  the  chief  or  headman  of  a  corporation  or  conimunitv   of 
wh,c,,  ^e  .  a  .e:nber,  and  with  the  .anagona^t   of  who^HZ s't  t 


:     I 


i  ;' 

t 
( 

il  } 


338 


PETITION    OF    THE    TOLC  VIS Tfl. 


If  ff 


the   ofllcc-rs   of    Imh    Catholic    Mjijcsty    arc   no   inoro 
disposed  to  depart,  than  if  this  colony  was  un(h<r  the 
nih;  of  Spnin,  and   that,  so  far,  there  is  no  apparent 
chaii^ro  Ml  th(!  fri^rhtful  prospect  of  that  foreijr,,  domina- 
tion, which  has  so  much  (hsfpiieted  the  inliahitants  of 
this  colony;  that,  with  rejrard  to  the  Spanish  frigate,  it 
is  not  astonishing  that  her  renuiiinng  in  this  j)Ort  slionld 
have  cansed  general  discontent,  considering  that  the 
recollection  of  the  vexations  which  she  exercised  in 
conforniify  with  tin;  orders  of  UHoa,  both  in  relation  to 
the  freedom  of  navigation  and  to  that  of  the  citizens, 
cainiot  hut  produce  indignation,  d:c.,  &:c.    *    *     *     *  ' 
"Said   petitioners   proceed    to    represent,   that   the 
decree  rendered  by  the  court,  on  the  29th  of  October 
last,  when  it  enjoined  Mr.  Ulloa  to  embark  within  three 
days,  either  in  the  frigate,  or  in  such  other  vessel  as  he 
might  choose,  did  also  impliedly  enjoin  the  officers  of 
said  frigate,  to  make  themselves  ready  to  depart  in  a 
few  days,  and  that  if  Mr.  Ulloa  was  allowed  to  choose 
tiie  vessel  in  which  he  was  to  sail,  it  is  only  because  the 
court  had  i)resumed  that  the  frigate  was  in  wr.nt  of  some 
repairs  to  go  to  sea  with  security;  that  even  a  vaaue 
rumor  had  been  spread,  that  Mr.  Ulloa  himself,  befbrc 
his  departure,  had  ordered  the  officers  of  the  frigate  to 
have  her  promptly  repaired,  and  then  to  leave  the  coun- 
try for  Havana,  without  loss  of  time;  that,  in  fact,  they 
had  taken  workmen  almost  immediately,  but  that  their 
labors  were  conducted  with  excessive  slowness;  that 
the  careening  of  that  frigate  seems  to  be  the  work  of 
Penelope ;  and  that  there  will  be  no  end  to  it,  if  their 
diligence    is   not   stimulated;    that,    according    to   the 
declaration  of  all  the  seafaring  men  of  this  port,  she 
ought  to  have  been  ready  a  long  time  since,  and  that  they 
would  undertake  to  make  her  seaworthy  in  fifteen  davs. 


m 


WA    '' 


.'•rrriTiON  (»f  tih:  < olomsts. 


2.0) 


Sm<l  potitionors  further  n>prosont  :  That  this  slow 
proccod.iicr  has  „o  tciulcncy  to  prochico  tr.-.n(,uilhtv  and 
jrcM.oral   satisfaction ;    that   dovotcdly   ohcdinit    to    iho 
orders    of  his  most  Christian    Majesty,    the   colonists 
chor.sh  and  .-evero  all  that  hears  such  a  character;  hut 
that  th(.y  hold  m  utter  detestation  all  that  can  mnvvUi- 
ate  to  tl.e.r  eye  the  in,a;ro  of  the  Spanish  authority  and 
ho  traces  o  the  administration,  which  Ulloa  presen((.d 
to   hem  under  so  threatenin^r  ,u.  aspect,  well  seconded 
as  he  was,  by  a  I  those  to  whom  he  had  dcle^r,u.d  the 
slightest  particle  of  the  powers  he  assumed ;  that  the 
petitioners  have  lately  received  sad  news,  in  relation  to 
those  who  have  exercised  those  illegal  powers ;  that  the 
morchants,  Kivard  and   Berard,  who  were  ^oing  to     c 
Ihnois,   have  been  forced  to  land  at  the  Ailan.S.s,  no' 
tohear  any  lonj^er  the   insuhing  langua.re,  in  which  a 
certain  Catalan,  named  Chouriac,  whT,  ^^;s  sent  by  the 
Spaniards  to  the  Illinois,  as  storekeeper  and  commi.4rv 
expressed  himself  towards  the  Fn-nch  nation;  that  Pic"r' 
nas  the  command-r  of  the  Spanish  troops,  when  .roiuff 
with  said  C  hounac  to  the  Illinois  district,  to  assume  it 
government,  had  met,  at  the  Econ.s  d  Marmot,  a  boat 
which  was  coming  down  ;  that  said  i'iernas  and  Chouriac 
stopped  her,  and  pressed  out  of  her  two  rowers  to  in 
crease  their  own  crew,  by  threatening  to  fire  at  the  boat 
With  their  swivel  gun  if  they  were  not  obeyed,  and  to 
put  in  chains  the  nine  men  who  manned  her;  that  not 
Avithstanding  they  could  spare  no  one  out  of  their  small 
number,  yet  they  drew  lots  to  ascertain  which  of  them 
would  embark  in  the  Spanish  boat,  in  which  they  had 
nothing  to  expect  but  ill  usage  ;   that  having  attenipted 
to  stipulate  for  their  wages,  the  said  Chouriac  told  them 
that  they  must  go  to  work  for  the  service  of  the  Kincr 
without  further  discussion.  ^ 

"  The  petitioners  beg  leave  to  state  in  addition,  that 


M- 


PETITION    OF   THE    COLONISTS. 

this  circumstance  recalls  to  mind  another,  which  is  not 
a  less  powerful  demonstration  of  the  evident  tyranny 
already  exercised  hy  the  officers  acting  under  the  com-' 
mand  of  Mr.  Ulloa ;  that  these  facts  are  related  such  as 
they  happened,  without  the  least  passion  or  rancor- 
and  the  petitioners  ardently  wish  that  the  pure  spirit  of 
truth  which  guides  their  pen,  may  open  the  eyes  of  some 
had  citizens,  if,  unfortunately,  there  should  he  any  amoncr 
them,  whose  base  and  venal  souls  should  still  be  waverinS 
between  the  choice  of  liberty  or  slavery.      Thus  the 
petitioners  represent,  that  Mr.  Chamard  departed  last 
year  in  his  boat  for  the  Illinois;   that  having  stopped  at 
Natchez,  Mr.  Piernas,  the   Spanish  commander  at  that 
place,  addressed  one  of  the  passengers  on  board  Clia- 
mard's  boat,  and  asked  him  for  provisic  is,  as  he  feared 
that  ho  would  soon  be  in  need  of  them  ;  that  this  pas- 
senger answered  that  some  might  easily  be  procured  at 
Pointe   Coupee  or  elsewhere,    adding   that   the   boats 
bound  from  New  Orleans  to  the  Illinois,  flir  from  beino- 
able  to  sell  their  provisions,  were  obliged   to  purchase 
some  for  their  own  use  at  all  the  postd  estabhshed  on 
the  banks  of  the  river;  that  Mr.  Piernas  having  retired 
the  men  of  the  boat  thought  they  had  done  with  him' 
and  that  they  were  pushing  from  the  shore,  when  sud- 
denly Mr.  Piernas  had  a  piece  of  artillery  loaded,  to  fire 
at  the  boat,  if  she  dared  to  leave  the  landing,  and  caused 
the  alarum  bell  to  be  tolled,  (the  ordinary  signal  to  take 
up  arms,)  collected  his  troops,  and  ordered  Mr.  de  La- 
villebeuvre  to  put  himself  at  their  head ;  that  this  officer 
notwithstanding  the  strong  reluctance  which  he  felt,  was 
obliged  to  obey,  and  the  provisions  had  to  be  delivered 
up  to  Piernas  ;  that  there  never  was  a  specimen  of  more 
complete  vexation  and  of  better  circumstantiated  vio- 
lence ;    that  the  natural    inference   is,    that   they    the 
colonists,  must  be  looked  upon  by  the  Spaniards  as'  aal- 


FOjrCAULT's   DESPATCHES. 


241 


ley  slaves ;  finally,  that  the  haughty  temper  and  tyran- 
nical pretensions  of  that  self  styled  officer  of  his  Catiiolic 
Majesty  cannot  but  be  the  cause  of  unbounded  indieua- 
tjon.  ° 

"  The  petitioners  further  represent,  in  their  aforesaid 
capacities  and  character,  that  it  falls  within  the  province 
of  the  court  to  apply  the  remedy  to  the  evil  which  they 
expose,  and  they  do  not  hesitate  to  say,  that  the  con- 
tinuance of  these  vexations  would  convert  the  colony 
into  a  desert.  -^ 

"Therefore  they  beg  the  Council  to  solicit  from 
Mr.  Aubry's  sense  of  justice,  that  he  should  invite  the 
captain  of  the  Spanish  frigate,  the  Volante,  to  hasten  his 
departure,  in  the  interest  of  public  tranquillity." 

The  Superior  Council,  on  the  conclusions  of  the  at- 
torney general,  who  supported  the  petition,  rendered  a 
deci-ee  m  conformity  with  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners. 
Un  the  23d  of  December,  Foucault,  continuing  the 
part  which  he  had  so  long  been  playing,  of  secretly  in- 
stigating  insurrection  and  ofopenly  disclaiming  all  par- 
ticipation in  it— nay-of  apparently  opposing  the  mea- 
sures which  he  had  provoked  by  underhand  suggestions, 
wrote  to  his  government : 

"  On  the  9th  inst.  (December,  1708)  the  syndics  of 
the  j)lantcrs,  merchants  and  inhabitants  of  this  colony 
handed  to  me  a  petition  addressed  by  them,  in  their 
ofhcial  capacity,  to  the  Superior  Council,  begging  that 
the  frigate  of  the  King  of  Spain,  which  is  moored  at  the 
quay  of  the  town,  together  with  the  officers  and  other 
persons  having  titles  or  brevets  from  his  Catholic  Ma- 
jesty, or  commissions  from  Mr.  Ulloa,  the  same  having 
come  with  him  or  in  other  Spanish  vessels,  be  compelled 
to  withdraw  from  this  colony,  within  the  shortest  pos- 
sible delay.     I  was  aware  of  the  vexations  which  had 
given  rise  to  this  demand,  and  they  were  so  iniquitous, 

16 


1 

I 
1 

•i 

1 

1 

■1 

i . 

1 

u 


.  !r 


I 


242 


FOUCAULT'S    DESPATCHES. 


t  int  I  could  not  help  blaniirifr  inwardly  capfniii   Vwrm^ 
llie  Spanish  conunandor  at  Natchez,  and  Chouriac,  Avhoni 
Ulioa  had  s(<nt  as  ston^ko.'por  and  commissary  at  the 
nimois.     lUit  I  was  at  first  tempted  not  to  lend  a  li.vor- 
abie  ear  to  the  petition  of  the  colonists,  because,  in  my 
opuuon,  the  Superior  Council  could  not  frnuit  what  they 
prayed  for,  without  goinnr  out  of  the  bounds  which  it  had 
prescribed  to  itself  in  its  decree  of  the  2J)th  of  October 
Ijist ;  and  because  to  dismiss  from  the  colony  the  vessels 
and  the  offic.-rs  s(mt  to  it  l)y  his  C^atholic  Majesty,  would 
bo  an  infraction  of  the  orders  of  our  Soverei^rn,  nnd  be- 
cause It  seemed  to  me  that  it  would  be  more  proi»er  to 
Huspend  any  of  those  officers,  wjio  should  make  an  uhv. 
sive  use  of  their  authority,    and    to    account  for  our 
motives  in  so  doing,  &c.,  &c.  *  *  * 

* 

"  IJnt,  for  many  reasons,  I  was  obliged  to  convene  the 
Conned  lor  the  next  day.  It  rendered  an  interlocutory 
decree,  ordering  a  judicial  investigation  of  the  facts  im- 
piited  to  Piernas  and  Chouriac,  to  be  reported  apon  as 
a  Dasis  tor  liirther  proceedings. 

"On  the  Mth,  the  CouncTl  having  met  again,  to  take 
into  considcu-ation  the  report,  which  contained  the  de- 
positions of  four  witnesses,  I  gave  my  opinion  in  writin.r, 
and  stated  my  reasons  for  strongly  opposing  any  deer  "J 
of  expulsion,  either  against  the  frigate,  or  auy"Spanish 
officer     «ut  the  Council  ordered  that  its  decree  of  the 
^.)th  ot  October  should  be  carried  into  full  execution 
and  begged  Mr.  Aubry  to  solicit  the  captain  of  the  frijiate 
to  accelerate  his  departure  in  the  shortest  possible  delay 
It  has  a  so  begged  me  to  ofibr  to  that  captain,  and  it- 
accepted,  to  furnish  him  with,  any  additional  numb(>r  of 
sailors,  workmen,  or  whatever  other  things  he  mi.d.t 
deem  necessary  to  have,  in  order  to  enable  him  to  m.it 
the  colony.    I  complied  with  the  wishes  of  the  Council 


foii(,aiii,t's  niisPATnins.  243 

on  thiY"I..ioct   „„,witl,„„,„lins  H.i'  r,.|„cl„„co  whicl,  r 

born„«.  ,v„h  r,.s„nl  ,„  ,,r„visio„,  ,„„|  „,|K.r  ™,„  m"     i 
""'  "--'1""R»I"'^  1  I  co„l, |„„„  „nn  .l,n  Kin  -s     ,; 

-rn,,  n„no«.,f,  ,.„,„,„  „r,l„-  rop.rt  c,f,l,.  conn  ,  Z    f 

3':'';''" ,  '.V  ""'«.   i.i  -■onConnilv  will,  ,l,o     ,.,'^™ 

winch  1„.  n„lrc.»,.,l  ,o  Mr.  Anh,,-,  nn,!  ,l„.y  s  ,„ll  ,o  o, 
.■n|>„..)  I,y  ,l„.  hVcnch,  un.il  „n  receive  ,1,,.  or,l       v^,"  , 
wo  have  „s  ...1  for.     Wc  h„vc  hccu  for  „,  n,™  ,  „     o, 
f  •■*'""  "I  III"  "'"«» .It  the  Itnliz,..     Mr.  Anhrv    ncl  n  rir 
:|v.  sen,  Mr.  An.lry,  ™b.e„«ineer,  ,o  ,lo   L       f      ^ 

!"><  (  atholic  Mnjerty,  „|,o  c„,n,nan.l  ,■„  ,|,ese  ph,ce»  ,„ 

"•"I  '«"k,:  an  „,ven,ory  of  nil  ,he  nrtillery,  provi      n  " 
n.n,n,„„„on,  „,erchnn,iise  .^„,l  cIi.t  effi.cis    l„,re  I    I  ! 
I'"... ,  .1,  concert  with  tho,,c  eo,n,„nn,li„«  ollic-rs       d 
.he  s„rel<,.eper.,,  to  receive  ,|„.  ,vho|,.  „„;  |,|,  cn.„o X 
=in<l  .,.  rta„on  at  each  of  the.,e  poi„,.,  eight  or  „.n  Aeal 

tZ:  I",  '''"""  "'  "'"  '"'''"-'^  '*'""""  '»  ""l>"-i  * 
to  e„,|  |,,re  ,>„  acconnt  of  the  s„,„||  ,n„nher  of  them 
tfiiil  arc  Merc."  »'mu 

I'oucanlt  conchHles  with  saying,  ,|,at  all  the  Sp.nniar.l, 
nre  ,v,th,ir|,w,ng  lro,n  the  other  posts,  and  that  s 
nsree,!  w„h  then,  thnt,  alter  ,h„  o vent' „f  „„"^  ,  :. 
Octoher,    he  e.pe„se.s  of  the  colony  sholl,  noverthele,, 

hcsnp,,orte.l  l,y  the  King  of  Sp, ,,  ;„  „„  , 'J  "^^ 

Oecc    her  next  „,c  ,„vely,  and  that  the  acconnt  .,h,d 
l)c  sottlcd  accordingly. 
This   dospatcli   is  anotlicr 


[)roof  of   tho 


!7l!S0?'.n!)j'^ 


244 


foucault's  despatches. 


.,,vi 


•* 


shuffling,  to  which  Foucault  resorted  in  oil  those  trans- 
actions.    Ilis  plan  had  been  to  show  himself,  in   his 
official  acts,  as  favorable  to  the  insurgents  as  he  possibly 
could,  and  to  encourage  them  as  far  as  he  could  go, 
without  committing  himself  too  much  in  the  eye  of  the 
French  and  Spanish  governments.  Thus,  he  had  affected 
to  oppose  the  expulsion  of  the  frigate  and  of  the  Spanish 
officers,  and  at  tlie  same  time,  he  had  recommended  to 
suspend  from  their  functions   any  of  these  very  same 
officers  who  might  be  deemed  guilty  of  an  abuse   of 
power.     Yet  to  a  man  of  his  intelligence  this  dilemma 
must  certainly  have  presented  itself:    the  colony  was 
either  a  Spanish,  or  a  French  province.     If  French,  the 
colonists  had  the  right,  not  only  to  prevent  the  Spanish 
officers  from  exercising  their  usurped  functions,  but  also 
to  expel  them  altogether,  as  intruders  and  trespassers. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  Louisiana  was  a  Spanish  pos- 
session, and  if,  as  Foucault  maintained,  th^  officers  of 
his  Catholic  Majesty  could  not  be  driven  away,  whence 
did  the  colonists  derive  their  authority,  save  from  the 
right  of  revolution,  to  suspend  them  from  their  func- 
tions, on  the  plea  of  abuses  of  power  ?     Whence  the 
right  assumed  by  Foucault,  on  behalf  of  the  colonists,  to 
account  for  so  high  handed  a  measure,  not  to  the  King 
of  Spain,  their  new  master,  but  to  the  late  one,  the  King 
of  France  ?     These  inconsistencies  evidently  proceeded 
from  his  desire  to  steer  his  bark  safely  between  two 
opposite  shoals. 

On  the  very  day  when  Foucault  was  writing  the 
preceding  despatch,  Aubry,  whose  mind  was  sufficiently 
enlightened,  and  whose  judgment  was  sufficiently  calm, 
to  foresee  the  fatal  consequences  of  what  had  happened' 
in  Louisiana,  and  therefore  whose  anxieties  were  inces- 
santly growing,  communicated  to  the  Minister  his 
reflections  on  the  revolution  which  he  had  witnessed. 


AllBRv's   DESPATCHES.  245 

He  wrote  :  "  I  find  myself  under  the  sad  necessity  nf 

fiener"|  lTw„-     """'  ^"^r"^   '"""y-    The  attorney 
mi.  de  Ulloa  committed  several  faults    l„,i  „.., 

underwenl.  '""""   '"^  ''«'"™"*  -'"<="    he 

!^ho.lld  this  revolution  produce  no  chansre  in  the 

to  TL      ^'"""'  '"■°"™'"S  P""l™  ""d  oHivion,  save 
to  a  few  who  are  guilty,  and  whom  it  is  abso  „te  v 

.~'wdl  Pr''%«-W-.  i'  i^  probable- th*'tt 

rhey'sirallTl't^r^ofr^;.*^    '^"»*'"  *" 

"  It  IS  much  to  be  desired  that  t'he  officer  who  mav 

.h  /::  „''    1  "'uf"  ^^^J"^'^' '°  '^'"  PO--ion  o'f 

f  Mr  "  ruilo  ":",  T  "r  ""^™^"y  q-lifications. 
1   ivir.de  Ulloa  had  been  of  a  milder  and  more  com 
Plaisan.  disposition,  the  colony  would  long  a^"    ,Z" 
hocome  Spamsh ,  all  would  have  remained  nult    a"d 
we  should  not  he  in  the  situation  in  which  we  are  no  v 

l^n'::izz  '■""•  "'"•• ""' '"' '-'  '■"  -"'^  i-™ 

uctn  sent  away  two  yoars  nsro. 
"It    is     desirable     that,   for     some     time,     vessels 

Jrom  the  Islands.     It  ,s   the  greatest  benefit  thnf  his 


'i     I 


24G 


aubky's  despatches. 


Catholic   Majesty  could  coiircr  on   the  inhabitants  of 
Louisiana. 

"  Should  the  province  remain  to  France,  its  inhabit- 
ants would  be  transported  with  joy.  It  would  be  the 
most  agreeable  news  they  could  receive,  as  they  gene- 
rally have  French  hearts.  But  I  am  certain  that,  at 
prcs(>nt,  tiiey  would  prefer  passing  under  the  English 
domination  than  the  Spai.ish,  unless  his  Catholic 
Majesty  should  be  disposed  to  grant  them  some  pri- 
vileges and  advantages,  to  induce  them  to  live  under  his 
flag.  Ulloa's  too  great  severity  has  frightened  them, 
and  they  fear  to  be  governed  as  despotically  as  the' 
Mexicans. 

"  VV  ith  a  million  a  year,  France  could  keep  up  here  a 
sufficient  force  to  support  the  administration  of  this 
possession,  and  to  make  to  the  Indians  the  necessary 
presents,  and  she  would  preserve  a  colony,  where  a 
great  attachment  is  felt  for  lier,  and  whose  commerce 
may  be  very  advantageous." 

It  must  be  observed  that  Aubry  denounced  to  his 
government  a  dozen  of  Jlrvhrunds,  who  hod  become  the 
masters  of  the  countri/,  and  whom  it  was  absolute/i/  necessary 
to  punish;  and  declared  that  the  honest  administration 
of  jusiiee  was  trampled  under  foot  by  the  Superior 
Council.  If  such  were  the  sentiments  oi"  a  Frenchman, 
whose  prejudices  and  feelings  must  have  been  enlisted 
111  favor  of  his  countrymen,  if  such  was  the  language  of 
the  chief  of  the  colony,  when  addressing  his  "own 
government,  what  nnist  have  been  the  impressions  of 
the  Spaniards,  and  is  it  to  be  wondered  that  they  subse- 
(jucntly  pursued  the  course  wliicli  I  shall  have  to 
describe  ! 

When  IJlloa  arrived  at  Havana,  he  found  in  that  city     ' 
eight  hundred  trooj)s,  that  were  preparing  to  couk;  to 
New-Orleans,  with  Urissa,  late  consul  of  Spain  at  Bar- 


n ) 


COUNCIL  OF   MINISTEKS   IN  SPAIN.  347 

o..n  ,„  com  ,„  Louisiana,  l,a,l  arrived  72^  iu'' 
I'l-y  that  there  wonhl  have  l,een  no  revoLbr'     „ 
™  l.ou,K  ...formed  of  the  trcat.uent  inflieta    "  '  U  oa' 
Umsa  determined  to  return  to  Europe.  "' 

bpa.n  u,  forty  days,  and  a  cahinet  council  was  l.eld  o.. 
thosuhjcct,  to  .letenniue.  whether  Spain      oud.li 

Lughsi,,or  leave  ,t  „,  ,l,c  hands  of  Franco.  The  com  cil 

M„;  '  ""•'"""  ''■■'«»'•.»  Muniain,  Don  Mi-uel  de 
Muz<|,uz,  the  Count  of  Aranda,  the  baron  Don  Julia,  de 
A.-na,,a  and  the  Mar,„us  of  Sau  .Ju.au  do  PiedrafA Iba" 
I    was  on  the  1 1,1,  of  February,  17(i9,  that  the  M™I: 

Ultuts   relative   to   what   had   occurred   in    I,ouisi-,n-i 
request,,,,  then,    ,o   give,  individually,   thei,    s   ,anUe 
omnon  ,n  wr,„„g.     On  the  5,1,  of  March,  the  D  k     of 

r^tCo  ",|,  T""™;'  -=l--'--«ic  opinion.  It"b  a  s 
inc  stamp  ot  the  hereditary  temper  of  tlie  men  of  ti.nt 
i»!iusl,ty  and  inflexible  hou/e.  ""^ 

"  1  nm  of  opinion  that  the  Kin<r  ouffht  to  rofiin 
Louisiana  on  acconnt  of  the  e.xtreme  imp^r  anco  f '  1 
mer  Mississippi's  being  the  fixed  and  sett  ^d  it  t' 
the  I'.nghsli  po.s.sessions. 

fa  >--'.,  o  (iucu.irbL'  |)or  du  lu  Fraiicia. 


V. 


248 


COUNCIL   OF   MINISTERS    IN   SPAIN. 


wt  ■*■ 


"  That  his  Majesty  should  choose  a  man  of  intelH- 
gence  and  energy,  and  send  him  with  the  necessary 
forces  to  subject  those  people,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
with  all  the  powers  to  cure  such  disorders,  by  strikine 
them  at  the  root. 

"  That  the  form  of  the  government  in  the  colony  be 
radically  changed,  in  order  to  leave  no  means  within  the 
reach  of  the  malice  or  audacity  of  those  people,  to 
attempt  other  revolutions. 

"  That  all  the  members  of  the  Superior  Council  there 
existing,  and  the  deputies  of  the  commerce  of  Bor- 
deaux,  be  immediately  transported  to  Europe,  and  also 
every  other  person  that  may  be  suspected. 

"  And,  taking  into  consideration  that,  from  the  pos- 
session of  that  colony,  it  does  not  seem  that  any  other 
advantage  ^an  be  derived,  than  that  of  determiniiiff 
incontestable  hmits  between  the  neighboring  powers,  I 
am  of  opinion  that  it  be  reduced  within  very  narro'w 
bounds,  in  order  that  its  administration  should  cost  the 
King  as  little  as  possible. 

"  But  finally,  what,  to  my  judgment,  appears  to  be  of 
more  importance  than  all  the  rest,  is  that  it  be  seen 
throughout  the  world,  and  particularly  in  America,  that 
the  King  knows  and  is  able  to  repress  any  attempt 
whatever,  derogatory  to  the  respect  due  to  the  royal 
majesty."*  *^ 

Don  .Jaime  Masones  de  Lima,  Don  Mifruel  de 
Muzquiz,  and  Don  Julian  de  Arriaga  gave  their  opinions 
on  the  21st  of  March.  Don  Jaime  Masones  de  Lima 
said : 

"  Having  examined  the  documents  submitted  to  my 
consideration,  it  seems  to  me  that  it  would  be  proper 

*  Lo  que  cnfin  importa  mas  que  to,lo,  d  mi  parocer,  es  que  se  voa  en  el  mundo 
y  en  America  eBpecialmente,  que  el  Key  sabe  y  puecJe  reprimir  cualquicra  intento 
contrano  .11  respeto  que  se  debe  d  la  Majestad 


COUNCIL   OF   MINISTERS    IN   SPAIN. 


249 


to  retain  possession  of  tiiat  colony,  considering  lliat  the 
river  Mississippi  fornifi  an  already  established  line  of 
demarcation  between  the  possession  of  the  French  and 
of  the  English.  I  have  only  to  add  that  this  advantage, 
which  IS  the  only  one  I  can  conceive,  is  not  counter- 
balanced by  the  inconveniences  which  I  foresee,  as 
being  likely  to  result,  in  the  future,  from  retainincr  pos- 
session of  that  colony.  " 

"  One  of  them  is,  that  the  colony  is  entirely  inhabited 
by  Frenchmen,  who  are  oi)enly  inimical  to  our  govern- 
ment, and  who  are  supported  by  the  partiality  of  their 
countrymen  in  France ;  that  there  is  no  fortified  place 
m  It  (presidio)  and  that  the  quality  of  the  soil  docs  not 
admit  of  such  works,  the  want  of  which  would  require  a 
larger  number  of  troops,  to  keep  the  colonists  in  sub- 
jection.    Such  being  the  case,  it  is  proper  to  consider 
whether  the  expenses  of  retaining  that  possession,  arc 
not  liable  to  exceed  the  damages  which  we  may  suffer 
Irom  Its  contraband  trade,  should  it  be  in  other  hands. 

"  The  Count  of  Fucntes,  in  the  letter  which  was  read 
to  the  council  of  ministers,  treats  this  question  with 
sufficient  precision  and  details,  and  in  a  manner  which 
did  not  fail  to  produce  much  impression  on  my  mind. 

"But  I  further  say  that,  in  case  my  opinion  should 
not  prevail,  on  the  policy  of  our  retaining  that  colonial 
possession,  and  in  case,  for  the  reasons  given  by  the 
Count  of  Fuentes,  and  for  the  inconveniences  I  have 
pointed  out,  his  Majesty  sh  ,uld  be  inclined  to  leave  it 
in  the  hands  of  Frnnce,  then,  the  better  to  provide  for 
the  future,  I  recommend  a  ^:ipulation  by  which  it  should 
be  understood,  that  France  shall  ncAcr  cede  that  pro- 
vince, either  to  the  English  or  to  the  colonists  them- 
selves,   without    the    consent   of  Spain,   reservin^r   its 
reversion  to  us,  whenever  France  shall  feel  disposed  to 
part  with  it. 


l;!| 


■i 


'I 


'■: 


250 


COUNCIL   OF   MIMSTERS   m   SPAIN. 


Ml„,,,  as  tlus  snbjoc.  ,.  so,«ewl,a.  conn.cte.I  «i,|,  Z 

o  llMt  <,„l„„y  „ecor,l,„g  to  my  „pi„i„„,  j  e„  ,si,l,.,-  tm 

most  severe  »„d  r.gorous  ,,unisl„„e„i,  on  aecount  of 
K  c,rc,.,„st,.„ce.,  „l,ich  aceon,,,,,„ie,l    ts  comtn™  „n 

iiic  iv.ns  and  to  lus  sul>jects,  it  remains  not  tlio  less  in 
o.  ■■ajre  a;;a,nst  the  Majesty  of  the  .nost  Chri  ia„  K  ,"" 
l.eea„.se,  so  ar  as  we  are  eoneeraed,  tl,e  eolo  i,"s  1  » ' 
"«  bclore  then,  no  „tl,..r  doet.ment  l,a,.  tl'e  "."  tf  ce  ' 
.on  n,ade  by  Ids  ,„„s,  Christian  Majesty,  de^s"^' 
0-. CrSnperiorCouneil,  an.l  ,„„il  „o    ,  S.ir    ,    ,' 

rovil"",';  ■'"''''"  "''  "''^™  ^"''"""  l'"«-'-"  i"    o     bf 
o^n,ee,  the  eorreet  eonslruetion  to  be  nut  on   vim 

iV  t Int  .L  •'  ""'  "',""  "'"°"S  "«•     «"t.  <="nsider. 

"g  that  the  eol„n,sts  declare  themselves  to  be  tile  sub 

jocts  of  his  most  Christiaji  Miinstv  ti,      .i  "''""-*""- 

(heir  cnhribll;.,-  „  J"''.C'I>.  tlioy  thus  increase 

plead  their  ignorance  of  the  treaty  of  eession. 

«.t,  Mbatcver  be  tiic  means  that  «e  may  emnlov^^ 
obtain  satisfaction  for  so  enormons  an  oilence  i   Z'u  d 

''nrr 'so";;,r  f"'"  ™""' '-  -  "■'•''■-""'-«: 

p.       hn'iont.M'.^ J" ""'"■'""  ''"  '^"'"^"""■ce  in  the 

imshmont  of  that  oHence,  we  shall  avoid  that  aiiv  mi 

litary  operation,  to  which  we  might  proceed  l^o™.' 


P       ., 


>^ 


COUNCIL   OF    MINISTERS   IN   SPAIN.  251 

selves  bo  accused  of  b.ing  unjust,  by  those  who  con- 
sider tlie  question  of  poss(,ssion  as  doubtful,  and  who 
would  ar^uo  that  we  enforce,  our  authority,  without 
havn,g  previously  established  our  sovereignty,  because 
we  never  uuule  apparent  and  publicly  known  to  the 
colonists,  by  any  act  of  notoriety,  the  new  obli^nition  of 
assalnge  to  w  nch  they  were  subjected,  by  virtue  of 
tlie  cession  made  by  his  most  Christian  Majesty. 

1  his  IS  all  that  my  poor  abilities  venture  to  su^^cst 

o  t,,  K„  ^,,,^,,.  j,,^^^  ,  .^  ^  resolve  that 

nay  be  most  a^n-eeablc  to  his  royal  breast,  as  the  de- 

ernnnation  which  he  will  take,  will  certainly  be   the 

best  lor  the  occasion."  ^ 

So  much  for  the  very  considerate  and  courtier-like 
opinion  of  Don  Jaime  Masones  de  Lima.  Now  comes 
lJon.Juan  de  Arria^ra. 

"  From  the  moment,  said  he,  that  France  oflercd  to 
cede  Louisiana,  it  seemed  opportune  to  me  to  take  her, 
not  because  it  mioht  be  a  profitable  possession  to  us  in 
a  pecuniary  point  of  view,  but  because  of  the  advantaoe 
which  we  obtain,  of  securing-  indisputable  limits  between 
"-S  and  ihe  Lnolish,  who  never  stand  in  need  of  some 
pretext  or  other  to  overstep  them,  without  any  open 
and  avowed  act  of  transgression.  ' 

"For  the  same  reason,  I  persist  in  my  fornuT  opinion  ; 
Hit  I    ecommend  that  proper  precautions  be  taken  in 
tlic  establishment  ot  the  government  of  that  colony,  not 
only  on  account  of  what  occurred  recently,  as  on  account 
ot  the  informations  we  have  acquired  on  the  composi- 
ion  ofthat  population,  which,  as  Ulloa  says  in  one  of 
ns  despatches,  is  made  up  of  all  sorts  of  people,  without 
calty,  witJiout  law  a.d  without  religioii.     It  is  there 
lore  evident  that,  unless  we  cut  off  and  remove  the  most 
conspicuous  and  most  vitiated  portion  of  tiiat  popula- 
tion, and  unless  we  establish  for  the  rest  new  rules  of 


,1  I      I 


!        ,i 


■i 
,1 


I 

4 


M'\n 


252 


COirNCIL   OF    MINISTERS    IN   SPAIN. 


govprnmont,  not  only  with  regard  to  the  pohtical,  but 
also  tlie  religions  organization  of  that  colony,  we  can- 
not, with  any  security,  rely  on  that  possession,  except  it 
be  through  force,  and  with  the  aid  of  iroops  to  bring 
those  people  to  submission;  the  consequences  of  which 
measures  would  be  our  going  into  enormous  expenses, 
an-l  our  being  in  a  state  of  constant  suspicion  and 
anxi(>ty. 

''  The  examination  of  the  means  to  be  employed  re- 
quires the  most  serious  reflection,  and  calls  for  the  most 
detailed  information  from  Ulloa,  because  the  points 
which  it  is  necessary  to  regulate  are  numerous.  One 
of  the  first  to  be  taken  into  consideration,  is  the  number 
of  troops  to  bo  sent  there,  and  the  expenses  it  will  put 
us  to,  in  order  to  restrict  them  within  what  can  be  sup- 
I)lie(l  out  of  the  royal  revenue  and  treasury  of  Mexico  ; 
and  although  it  is  not  to  be  ho|)ed  that  the  commerce 
of  that  colony  can  be  of  any  advantage  to  his  majesty, 
nevertheless,  it  is  necessary  to  determine  by  whom  and 
how  it  is  to  be  carried  on,  it  being  important  that  there 
be  no  failure  in  that  j)art  of  it  which  is  relative  to  the 
Indians,  with  whom  we  must,  by  all  means,  keep  on 
terms  of  amity." 

As  to  the  Marquis  of  San  Juan  de  Picdras  Albas,  he 
said  : 

"  I  think  that  it  is  of  extreme  importance  for  Spain, 
to  retain  under  her  domination  that  part  of  the  colony 
of  Louisiana  which  was  ceded  by  France,  not  only  be- 
cause it  IS  a  valuable  barrier  and  a  means  of  protection 
for  the  provinces  of  New  Spain  and  the  Mexican  Gulf, 
but  also  for  the  other  reasons  which  were  given  verbally 
in  the  cabinet  council,  ahU  which  have  convinced  me  in 
the  most  eftcctivc  manner,  that,  taking  into  considera- 
tion the  position  of  Louisiana,  in  no  other  hands  than 
in  ours  can  that  colony,  for  the  present  and  for  the 


COUNCIL   OF   MINLSTEUS    IN   SPAIN. 


•wOo 


future,  be  as  inij)ortant  and  usoful  to  Sj)aiu  ;  and,  under 
tlio  circuuistancos  in  which  we  arc  placed,  siipposinir 
that  France  persists,  as  she  does  beyond  a  doubt,  i[i  her 
disposition  to  ratify  her  voluntary  donation  to  Spain, 
and  is  prepared,  (considerin<r  that  she  is  more  particu- 
larly interested  in  resenting  the  insolent  want  of  respect 
with  which  she  was  disobeyed  by  her  subjects  and  vas- 
sals,) to  accomplish  what,  so  far,  she  has  not  been  able 
to  execute,  and  to  put  S[)ain  in  quiet  and  peaceful  pos- 
session of  that  domain,  I  reiterate  the  opinion  which  I 
have  already  expressed  :  that  Spain  must  maintain  her- 
self in  the  possession  of  that  province,  which  was  ceded 
to  her  in  good  faith,  and  which  was  not  lormally  de- 
livered up  to  her,  on  account  of  the  crinnnal  d'Sobediencc 
of  its  inhabitants." 

On  the  next  day,  the  '22d  of  March,  the  Count  of 
Aranda,  who  had  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the 
shrewdest  and  abl(;st  statesmen  of  Spain,  presented  a 
somewhat  more  elaborate  opinion  than  those  of  his  col- 
leagues. Taken  in  connexion  with  the  events  which 
have  happened  on  the  continent  of  JVorth  America,  and 
which  have  transformed  colonies  into  empires,  it  cer- 
tainly is  a  curious  and  remarkable  document. 

^'  Considering,  he  said,  the  original  cause  of  the  ac- 
(luisition  of  Louisiana  by  Spain,  and  the  reasons  which 
were  then  given  for  it ;  and  whereas  that  colony  nmst 
be  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  dci)endencies  of  the  crown, 
and  as  so  much  territory  annexed  to  our  Mexican  provin- 
ces, I  am  of  opinion  that  it  was  wisely  done,  to  accept 
the  donation  which  France  made  of  her,  and  that  it  is 
indispensable  to  keep  possession  of  that  acquisition,  at 
whatever  cost. 

"  The  more  or  less  fertility  and  extent  of  Louisiana 
is  not  the  principal  question  to  be  examined.  But  we 
ought  to  judge  of  the  importance  of  that  acquisition, 


'Ill 


It 
I    t 


254 


COUNCIL   OF   MINISTERS    IN   SPAIN. 


from  the  fact  that  it  extends  our  Mexican  territories  to 
the  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  a  well  known  barrier,  and  a 
distant  one  from  the  population  of  New-Mexico,  and 
that  it  furnishes  us,  through  that  river,  with  an  indelible 
line  of  demarcation  between  our  provinces  and  those  of 
the  English,  which  have  been  widened  by  their  acquisi- 
tion of  our  domain  of  Florida ;  and  that  it  gives  the  oo 
casion  to  create,  at  certain  determined  points,  a  chain 
of  posts  which,  in  time  of  peace,  will  be  the  evidences 
of  our  territorial  rights,  and  will  prevent  usurpations 
and  trespasses  made  under  the  plea  of  ignorance.     Be- 
sides securing  the  notoriety  and  the  indisputable  ac- 
knowledgment of  our  sovereignty,  we  obtain  a  precious 
protection  for  ourselves,  and  oppose  a  serious  impedi- 
ment to  the  progress  of  the  English,  because,  in  case 
ofa  rupture  with  them,  they  will  have  to  begin  their 
operations  from  afar,  will  be  exposed  to  great  losses 
before  having  gained  much  ground,  and  will  not  have 
the  advantage  to  make,  iu  anticipation,  their  prepara- 
tions, secretly,  in  the   interior  of  tlieir  possessions,  in 
order  to  shorten  and  facilitate  their  operations,  at  the 
breaking  out  of  hostilities. 

"  In  short,  under  this  view,  which  is  full  of  interest, 
the  insurrection  at  New-Orleans  seems  to  be  an  object 
of  the  greatest  importance,  not  only  for  the  reasons 
which  have  already  been  expressed,  but  on  account  of 
its  consequences. 

"  Its  situation  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  its  being  already, 
as  it  were,  an  European  town  by  its  population,  its  be- 
ing inhabited  altogether  by  merchants  and  traders,  and 
its  being  converted  into  a  free  port,  which  no  doubt 
would  be  the  case,  would  attract  thither  large  numbers 
from  Europe  i  and  considering  that  a  republic  in  Loui- 
siana would  be  independent  from  all  the  European 
powers,  it  would  then  become  the  interest  of  all  to  keep 


COUNCIL   OF   MINISTERS   IN   SPAIN. 


255 


on  terms  of  amity  with  her,  and  to  support  her  exist- 

wnnlTlh  ^T'""^^^  f  rcumstances  in  which  Louisiana 
wou  d  then  be  placed,  would  not  only  increase  her  no- 
pulation,  but  also  enlarge  her  limits,  and  transform  her 
into  a  rich,  flourishing  and  free  State,  in  sight  of  our 
provinces  which  would  present  the  melancholy  contrast 
of  exhaustion  and  of  the  want  of  cultivation  * 

of'onrT '.^M ''"'P''/'"^''  ''^^"'  '^^'^  ^h«  inhabitants 
of  our  vast  Mexican  domains  would  be  led  to  consider 
their  utter  want  of  commerce,  the  extortions  of  their 
different  governors,  the  little  esteem  in  .hich  they  are 
held,  the  few  offices  which  they  are  permitted  to  fill, 
and  would  weigh    the  great   inducement   which   the^ 

and  to  think  that  they  can  brave  it  with  more  security 

Witt  eir'      t"  "^  ''1  ^  '''''''  P^«^--'  --P--i 
with    heir  extensive  and  populous  country,  can  make 

possible   the   government  of  the    Mexican    provinces 

and   improve    the   condition    of  their   inhabifants,    wo 

hould  succeed  m  avoiding  the  fatal  revolution  ^hich 

mS      orio"''  '"r  '"'''  "^  P^'^^'^"^  ^h^  '"-'t  com- 
merce of  Louisiana  by  sea  with  all  the  harbors  on  our 

coasts,  and  also  by  land  with  Te.as  and  New-Mexico 
and  through  them  to  old  Mexico  ?  iviexico, 

"To  think  of  being  agreeable  to  France  by  returning 
to  her  what  she    ceded,  would   be    attended    by   th? 

iZlfCT'T'''  '^^^"^^'  ^-ides  that  in  her 
Z^t^vT^'  ^^  '''  '•^""^•«"'  ^^«"'d  be  a  posses- 
sion prejudicial  to  our  commerce,  furthermore,  on  the 
first  emergency,  she  would  avail  herself  of  that  pledge, 

*  A  remarkable  prophecy  1 


I  \ 


I      n 


i>5(i 


fOUNtIL   OF    MINISTERS    IN    SPAIN. 


*yi  ^   I 


to  c«'dc  it  to  the  Kn«rlisli,  wlioin  it  isuits  exceedingly, 
and  would  use  it  so  jis  lo  obtain  better  terms  for 
peace. 

"  I   can   easily   iniauine   tbe   costs  of  fittinjr  out  the 

proper  e.\|)edition,  to  retake  possc^ssion  of  Louisiana,  as 

well  as  to  keep  her  for  tli(>  future,  and  also  the  doubts 

wliieli  presiMit  llieinselves,  wlietlier,  in   the  projrnss  of 

time,   tlie  profits  which    mijjrht  be    deprived    from    that 

colony,  would  compensate  for  the  immediate  expenses 

to   be   incurred,  or,  at   least,  in(>et  thos(>  that  would  be 

rcijuired   annually.     Mut  all  these   reasons,  individually 

and   collectively,   cannot   counterbalances   in    my   hnhr- 

luent,  thos(>   which   militate  on  the   other   side,   consi- 

(hM-iuij;  that   the  keepin<i;    of  th;it  possession,   althou<>h 

exjjensive,  is  necessary  to  |)res(u-ve  our  principal  domi- 

ni(ms. 

"Of  what  imi)ortance   to  us  is  it,  that  tla;   l''r(>nch 
should  retain  their  known   limits    with    re<iard   to  th«> 
I'hiolish,  w  hen   such  not  bein;L;'  the  case  on  tln^  side  of 
our  territories,  it  will  be  left  to  their  own  i)l(>asure,  on 
their  retakin<v  possession  of  .Louisiana,  to  extend  their 
frontiers  at  will  and  to  our  prejudice  /     So  that,  instead 
of  k(>epin<r  at   a   distance  our  nei<>hb<u-ing  enemy,   l)y 
retainiuir    fionisiana   in    our   hands,   we    should    admit 
between  him   and  us   anotluu"  power,  and  that   j>ower 
mii>ht  recognize  no  barriers  to  his  own  encroachments 
upon  our  possessions.     'J'hus,  for  the  very  reason  that 
there  are   no  established  limits  between  Louisiana  and 
Mexico,   the   present   rebels  would,  if  (h(>y  w(>r«>   per- 
mitted to   remain   so,  have   a   |)r(>te\t   for  claimin<>-  an 
arbitrary  extension   of  t(>rrit()ry,  and,  besides   the   dis- 
putes to  which  it  would  give  rise,  it  would  put  us  under 
the  neci'ssity  of  going  to  the  expense  of  establishing  a 
new  cordon. 

"  It  seems  to  nic,  therefore,  that  the  best  policy  is  to 


III* 


COUNCIL  OF    MIMSTKKS    IN   SPAIN.  257 

roposso,»  „„r,„:v,,s  „f  N„w-Orlo„„.s  with  suffiri™, 
fo  cos  to  pnn.<.„t  thn  ,,o>-„il,ility  of  „„y  .lis.n.co  t  |^ 
K,„K  »„,„«;  to  «|,cl  (■„„„  „,„  colony  alT  those  X, 
v.cr,.  the  cauHc,  „1  tho  l„t.  ,ro„|,l,.>.,  conli,«.ti„„  t  ° 
roporty  as  a  ,„„„»h,„.„l  for  thdr  r,.|„.|li„„  ;  to"o  ,! 
.t  „l  tho..  who  „ro  i„„oc.„,,  l„,t  wl,o  ,„„;„„ 
chooHo  t.,  s„l„„,t  ,l„.,„„„|v„„  t„  t|,„  „„,  ,,„ jyl 

.r,u,s|,ort,.,l    o  |.-n,„c.,  or  wh.ro  th.y  |,lo,,so  ;  to     ■  d 

/•"""'^'^."'-l'"P"lmi""whichiston,loh,,to 

;;•"""•>■ '    "   I.'";"'  '•■>'•  < •.•«.^"<,  that  |,o|,„|a, 

th.  .x,„„t  wh„.,h  w,IM,o  «uni.-,„„t  to  l<„  .,,' „„,  ,1  ^,  ' 
m  ■•no,,.    o(  .„hiva,io„  ,o  „„-,l<o  of  N,'v.(     ,         ; 

"  ";'''"  ""•  '-■ '"■'■'•<•  ■■>»>[  ii,.„(s  „f  i,is  „,„|,,,|.. 

"■"!.'"■  Ilie  l""-|."«ii   of  n,.l<i„(,  |<„„w„  „,„.  front!  Ts  us 

>  ...  y  as  |„,.,.„l.h,  to  c»,„hhsh  all  alon,  those  otio 

'."Khsh  n  d,an,  ol  posts,  at  res..lar  intervals  of  thirty 

"'lies,  or  at  the  most  inip.irlani  points.  ^ 

"J  «...  also  of  opinion  that  wo  o„«ht  not  to  have  in 

N.nv-Orleans  more  than  one  small  fort,  to  kcM.  the 

lH..ple   ...    snl,,,.,.,,ion,  a,,,!   ,o  canse   the   flag  of  hi« 

Majesty  to  I.e  r,.spe,.,e,l,  i,,  ea.se  any  insnit  tolt  shonld 

''"  "."'<m'<   h  I '.letnies  ol  the  erown.   liy  abstain- 

."g  mnMnalun,  of  that  town  a  plaee  of  instance, 
e  I ul  avoni  niaknig  ,t  an  ol.jeet  of  attack  ,l,ecause 
.Iw.th  that  view,  an  enemy  shonhl  .,en<l  there  a  eon' 
snlerahle  l,o,ly  o|  troops,  these  very  forces  ,ni.ht  nlti- 
."..U>.  s,.rve  to  .-arry  on  fnrlher  .fosigns'  against 
Me.Mco,  an,l  o„r  othcT  .lo.nains  in  that  part  of  Ante- 

"What  is  also  (>r  i,np.)rlanc(.,  is  to  i„^M-a(iafo  our- 
selves  with  those  mvrrnt  In.ha,.  nations  that  are  on 
bad  tonus  w.th  the  ICn^hsh,  heca..se,  hy  Ihnu-nting 
host.hties  on  th(,  part  of  th<.se  Indians,  uc'  shall  kee^ 

17  ^ 


if  ni 


258 


COUNCIL   OF   MINISTERS   IN   SPAIN. 


I 
I 


f'  'i 


the  northern  estabhsliments  of  the  English  in  a  state  of 
alarm,  and  by  this  means,  oblige  them  to  retain  there 
all  their  forces,  because,  siiould  they  dare  to  do  other- 
wise, the  Indians  I  have  spoken  of,  being  on  their 
shoulders,  would  immediately  devastate  their  territories 
bj  their  irruptions." 

On  the  24th,  Don  Miguel  de  Muzquiz  delivered  his 
written  opinion  in  these  terms  : 

"  I  find  inconveniences  in  leaving  Louisiana  to  the 
French,  but  still  greater  ones,  and  more  certain,  in  its 
being  retained  by  Spain. 

"  From  the  moment  that  the  French  made  their  first 
settlements  in  that  country,  they  have  been,  to  the 
present  time,  imagining  more  than  one  project  to 
approach  the  provinces  of  Texas  and  New-Mexico,  and 
they  have  not  been  able  to  execute  their  plans,  not 'only 
on  account  of  the  distances  to  be  overcome,  but  also 
because  they  never  could  gain  the  good  will  of  the 
Indians,  and  because  they  had  to  watch  the  proceedings 
of  their  English  neighbors.  These  same  obstacles  still 
subsist  for  the  French  and  preserve  us  from  the 
threatened  danger  of  their  penetrating  into  Texas  and 
New  Mexico. 

"  The  French  have  long  been  in  possession  of  that 
province,  where  they  are  accustomed  to  enjoy  a  free 
dom  as  to  their  persons  and  as  to  their  commerce, 
which  our  laws  do  not  admit  of;  but  they  are  obliged 
to  suffer  and  tolerate  the  excesses  which  are  committed 
by  the  Indians,  and  as  these  savages  prefer  a  state  of 
war  to  any  other,  and  as  they  are  armed,  they  can 
make  sudden  and  fatal  attacks. 

"The  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  is  common  both 
to  the  Irench  and  to  the  English,  and,  although  their 
respective  territorial  limits  are  determined,  it  will  be 
impossible  for  them  to  avoid  having  disputes  arising 


COUNCIL   OF   MINISTERS   IN   SPAIN.  259 

Lou... .. ,..,  ir^::\:!iz::^z^: 

inui.iiis  because  tliov  woiiM  1,^1-  tu^ 

not  conceive  that  tJie  object  to  h^  ..tJ-     i       ^         ^^ 
cost.  •'  ^  iitta.ned  is  worth  the 

"  it  is  true  that  the  Frcnrh  will  i....,    • 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  under   hei,  0^^^   ^^''' '''"''''  '"*«  the 
and  will  be  ab le T  '        ^  ""^^"'"^  ^^  ^0"'«'^ina, 

^0*.  .,t:  tl  Lsr.:  — "in-  ^"'' 

were  Louisiana  ours,  it  does    ,„f  ^     ,         *""'' ''™" 
would  entaiTl,,",  T    '""   P"^^«^^'»»  °f  "-'  -lin, 

tliousaud  dollars,  put  our'oUes  „  Ir.t  ""  ''""''""^ 
incrcHing  the  uu'u.ber  7our  oleT,  t  ■'"'"''''^  "'' 
caus.es  of  difKculties  „it|,  the  fe  A  T'"""' 
cncouuter  nuu.erous  obstacles  in    hi     1  ''■'™   '° 

that  possession.  "  '"''°">'«fation  of 

provlnee" nd^'ir'  ""  '''°"'"  ''"™  •"  -""--co  that 

mer«ca  tmito  g  Jto.  '^""''-  '*'''J"™'  '"'I"-  ""  ^oncibo  que  el  objeto 


2G0 


COUNCIL   OF    MINISTERS   IN   SPAIN. 


11'  ^^ 


defence  of  more  essential  points  ;  so  that,  weakened  as 
we  are  at  present,  by  the  necessity  of  providing  for  so 
many  scattered  posts  in  America,  we  should  Increase 
our  weakness  by  putting  ourselves  to  the  charge  of 
maintaining  and  defending  Louisiana,  whilst,  leaving 
her  to  the  French,  it  is  probable  that  they  would 
protect  her  against  the  English  better  than  we  can 
do. 

"  For  these  reasons  and  others  to  be  deduced  from 
them,  my  opinion  is,  that  it  is  proper  for  the  crown  to 
abandon  T  ouisiana  to  the  French.  It  remains  to  be 
examined,  whether  the  King  can  do  so,  without  any 
forfeit  of  honor.  Ulloa  took  possession  of  the  govern- 
ment of  the  colony,  only  ad  interim,  so  that  said  act 
may  be  considered  as  merely  preparatory  to  the  solemn 
formality  of  a  final  taking  of  possession,  by  the  officers 
and  troops  he  was  waiting  for ;  and  thus,  according  to 
my  judgment,  the  offence  is  common  to  the  "two 
crowns,  and  should  Louisiana  remain  in  the  hands  of 
France,  it  would  become  her  sense  of  self  dignity,  not 
to  suffer  to  go  unpunished  those  who  have  disobeyed 
the  orders  of  her  king." 

On  the  31st  (March),  Don  Juan  Gregorio  Muniain 
closed  the  consultation  with  the  following  concise 
opinion  : 

"  The  situation  of  the  colony  of  New-Orleans  which 
with  its  limits,  extends  itself  all  along  the  right  bank  of 
the  Mississippi,  as  far  as  the  unknown  mountains,  many 
leagues  beyond  its  meeting  with  the  Missouri,  secures 
the  following  advantages  : 

"  r.— It  establishes  between  New-Mexico  and  the 
territories  ceded  to  England  invariable  limits,  such  as 
the  course  of  a  river  which  preserves  its  name  from  its 
source  to  its  mouth  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

"  2°.— By  giving   to   that  colony  the  same  uniform 


COUNCIL   OF   MINISTERS    IN   SPAIN.  261 

system  Of  government  Which  has  been  imposed  on  all 
our  American  provinces,  and  by  keeping  in  active 
service  at  the  port  of  New-Orleans  a  small  and  light 
Irigate,  we  shall  repress  the  commercial  frauds  which 
are  meditated  against  us  from  Florida,  and  put  a  stop 
to  the  contraband  trade.  ^ 

«  :r.—By  encouraging  the  cultivation  of  wheat,  and 
other  grams  and  plants,  we  shall  promote  a  trade  in 
flom    and  vegetables,    of  extreme   utility   to    Havana 
Puerto-Rico  and  the  o  acr  Islands.  ' 

"  4°.-It  seems  to  me  that  the  expenses  attendin<T  the 
preservation  and  administration  of  that  colony,  c^umot 
be  gi^ater  than  those  to  which  wo  were  put  inVlonda  • 
by  1  e  possession  of  St.  Augustin,  Pensacola  and 
Apalache,  and  those  which  we  incur,  at  present  in 
maintaimng  our  Presidios  in  New-Mexico^  some  of 
which.  If  not  al ,  could  be  suppressed  with  advantage. 

thomtr  ""'fr  *^  ^"^"^  *''■■'*  ^''^  English  establish 
themselves  without  opposition  in  our  territory,  by 
crossing  the  river  Mississippi,  it  will  be  necessa;y  to 
erect  some  small  fortified  posts  according  to  the 
fashion  of  the  country,  that  will  serve  as  scouts,  and 

;1^1Z'''''''''   ^'  '''   ^^^°"^'  ''  '''  '-' 
"6°  -Should  this  colony  be  ceded  to  France  with 

"^.J;'^^^^^^^  power  might  extend 

itscl  towards  Mexico,  and  establish  with  that  country 
an  Illicit  commerce,  as  the  merchants  of  that  nation 
have  already  done.  Besides,  should  France  be  worsted 
in  war  by  the  English,  she  would  have  an  object  of 
value  to  offer  to  them,  to  obtain  an  advantageous  peace 
tor  her  establishments  in  Africa  and  Asia. 

"  For  these  reasons  I  am  of  opinion,  that  it  is  proper 
to  keep  possession  of  the  colony  of  New  Orleans  with 
all  Its  hmits." 


\  i 


I 


262 


GRIMALDl's  LETTER  TO  FUEXTES. 


'it  ^ 


■if! 


I   i, 


These  deliberations  of  the  statesmen  of  Spain,  in  1769 
show,  in  an  interesting  manner,  the  poHcy  which  guided 
her  m  the  forniation    and  prosecution  of  lier  colonial 
system,  and  give  the  key  to  her  subsequent  adminis- 
tration  of  Louisiana.     But  it  is  impossible  to  peruse 
them  without  a  smile,  when  taken  in  connexion  with 
those  wonderful   events,  those  political,  moral,  social 
and   national    transformations,   and    those    irresistible 
workings   of   the   human   mind,  which   have  since   so 
changed  the  face  of  the  world,  in  little  more  than  three 
quarters  of  a  century.     To  the  eye  of  philosophy,  how 
Illustrative  is  it  of  the  vanity  of  man,  when,  with  his 
puny  foresight  and  blind  wisdom,  he  strains  to  look 
mto  futurity,  and,  attempting  to  prepare  for  its  exi^en- 
cies,  builds  up  his  tower  of  strength,  which  he  fancies 
of  sufhciently  enduring  materials  to  meet  those  anti- 
cipated  necessities,  of  which  time  only  has  the  secret ! 
It  has  been  seen  that  only  one  minister,  in  the  council 
of  Npam,  was  of  opinion  that  Louisiana  ought  to  be  re- 
turned to  France.     Some  time  after,  in  the  month  of 
May,  the  Marquis  of  Grimaldi  informed  the  Count  of 
t  uentes,  the  Spanish  ambassador  at  the  Court  of  Ver- 
sailles, of  all  the  proceedings  which  had  taken  place  at 
the  Court  of  Madrid,  and  said  : 

"  The  King  r'->roved  of  the  conclusions  to  which  had 
come  the  council  of  ministers,  not  only  on  account  of 
the  reasons  by  them  expressed,  but  also  on  considering 
that,  if  what  had  occurred  in  Louisiana  remained  unt 
punished,  this  bad  example  might  have  a  fatal  influence 
over  our  other  American  possessions,  and  even  over 
those  of  the  other  powers,  in  which  a  spirit  of  sedition 
and  mdependence  ^as  begun  to  spread,  as  it  appears 
by  what  lately  happened  to  the  French  themselves  in  the 
Island  of  St.  Domingo.  His  Majesty  concluded  also,  that 
from  his  being  essentially  in  possession  of  Louisiana  in 


1^  ' 


«RIMALDI'S  LKTTRR  TO  FUENTES. 


263 


Virtue  of  a  very  legitimate  title,  altiiough  it  is  not  com- 
pleted by  the  ceremony  of  taking  possession,  that  colony 
was  to  be  reputed  a  province  of  the  crown,  and  its  in- 
habitants, his  subjects ;  from  which   it  resulted  that  it 
appertained  to  his  Majesty  alone,  to  recover  that  pos- 
session, and  to  punish  the  temerity  of  the  colonists,  and 
the  offence  of  which  they  have  been  guilty  towards  his 
government  and  his  people.     His  Majesty  thought  also, 
that  It  was  necessary  that  it  be  seen  throughout  the 
world,  that  he  knew  and  was  able,  without  the  assistance 
of  any  foreign  power,  to  repress  the  audacity  of  sedition, 
and  all  designs  whatever,  derogatory  to  the  respect  due 
to  his  dignity  and  to  his  crown.     In  accordance  with 
these  principles,  his  Majesty  lu.s  resolved  to  use  force 
to  reduce  the  rebels  to  submission,  and  has  ordered  that 
the  necessary  measures  to  that  effect  be  taken  without 
delay. 

"  Don  Alexandro  O'Reilly,  Inspector  and  Lieutenant 
general  of  the  royal  armies,  had  already  been  dcsicr„atcd 
by  the  King  to  repair  to  Havana  and  to  other  ci'ties  in 
New-Spain,  in  order  to  review  the  troops  and  militia, 
and  It  seemed  to  his  Majesty  that  this  officer  could  at 
the  same  time  be  intrusted  with  the  expedition  against 
Louisiana.     Consequently,  being  f)rdered  to  hasten  his 
departure,  O'Reilly  immediately  went  to  Cadix,  where 
lie  found  a  frigate  which  had  been  prepared  for  him. 
He  embarked,  and  he  must  be,  at  present,  near  the  Is- 
land of  Cuba.     He  has  drawn  none  of  his  means  of 
operation  from  Cadix,  because  it  was  thought  proper  to 
conceal  the  object  of  his  commission.     To  that  effect, 
he  received  an  ostensible  order,  which  treated  of  nothing 
else  than  of  inspection  and  general  review,  but  he  well 
knew  that  he  would  find  at  Havana  all  of  which  he  stood 
in  need.     The  instruction  given  to  him  was,  to  take  at 
that  place  the  battalions  of  infantry,  the  ammunition 


2G4 


iJIUMALDl's    LKTTER    TO    FlfENTKN. 


'i 


III 


aiu!  the   other  luatorinh  wliich  ho  ini^rht  dcoin  nccoa- 
sai>,to  transport  l-i.k.hI  (o  r.ouisinna,  iind,  alkr  havii.^r 
taken  posses.^;,  M  of  !.,;•  :„  th(;  name  of  his  MajeHly,  to 
have  the  heads  of  the  rebolhon  tried  and   punished   ac 
cordMi<r  to  law,  and  tlien  to  remov<!  out  of  the  colony 
ail  \hv.  iridivi(hials  and  famihes,  vvlio.se  presenci;  nii.r|,i 
cndan^r(.r  its  Iranquilhtj.     lie  was  also  ordered  to  pro- 
vule  lor  the  niihtary  and  pohce  orjranization  of  thc^  pro- 
vin(;e,   to  estahhsh   the   necessary   rules    for  a  correct 
adnnnistration  ofjusliet^  and  of  the  Hiiances,  to  secure 
the  dependence  and  the  subordination  of  the  inhal)itan(s, 
and  to  frame  the  new  form  of  <rovernment— the  whoh^[ 
according  to  the  verbal  instructions  which  liad  l)een  or 
ini<rht  be  given  to  him.    lU  takes  along  with  liim  persons 
K'anu'd  in  the  law,  who  will  superintend  the   judicial 
proceedhigs,  and  he  has  been  .nithorized  to  have  recourse 
to   the   force   of  arms,  in   .    se   the   inhabitants   should 
oblige  him  to  resort  to  it  by  their  resistance.     Jt  seemed 
proper  to  invest  Don  Alexandro    O'Keilly  with  these 
extensive  powers,  on  account  of  the  distance  at  which 
we  are  from  that  country.     JJut,  as  the  King,  whoso 
chi.racter  is  well  known,  is  always  inclined  to  bo  mild 
and  clement,  he  has  or(h>red  O'Keilly  to  be  informed 
that  his  will  is,  that  a  lenient  course  b(>  i)ursued  in  the 
colony,  and  that  (wpulsion  from  it  be  the  only  punish- 
ment inflicted  on  those  who  have  deserved  a  more  severe 
one. 

"  I  could  have  informed  you  sooner  of  all  this,  but,  as 
you  wdl  not  have  to  act  in  the  matter,  because  the  King 
has  assumed  to  take  satisfaction  himself  for  the  otl'enco 
committed  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  colony,  we  judged 
that  it  would  be  useless  to  send  you,  by  the  ordinary 
courier,  the  great  mass  of  papers  wiiich  would  be  neces- 
sary,  to  make  you  acquainted  with  all  that  had  occurred. 
I  had  also  thought  of  transmitting  to  you,  with  these 


GRIMALDI'S    MiTTKK    TO    Fl  lOIVTEN.  ^05 

clocu.nontH,  tlu.  Mcnoria'  or  Muninnto  published  by  tho 

-  .ab.uu.t.  of  Lo.us,una.     lUa  I   .n     ...sun<l.|  th,a 

mU.da.pyol.tnu.st   Inn.  roucnod  yo„,  (  o..sid.ri..<r 

';     ,t  I.,,s  boon  n.p..blish,.d  i..  |.Vana>,  with  the  ch,c.-ec 

oSupc...-  Com^^^        I  .lo   ..ot  th.Mk   rhat  I  aui  at 

'xrly     o  couceal  b„,u  you,  Sir,  that,  uh....   the  Kiu.r 

was  ...adc.  awa.v  ol  ,.e  i,.sol.>ut  language  of  tiuit  ilocu- 

'       '  ri  ''"  T    y  """«"""^  ""•'  •l''-^t  i'i.^  indi^M.at.ou 
v..    ,.ot  less.  wlu...   he  was  iulor.ued  Ihat  the  a,.thors  of 
tl'a     .,.ei„o.-,al   had   .u)t    (u.ly  sueeeeded    .„   u.akiu.r  Jt 
Pnl.hr,  but  als<,  h.id  caused  to  be  i.,se,-teu   in  diirere..t 
i'^nropeau  ^ra/,.,tes,  uuder  th.  head  of  a  7V/.s  ,,;•/.•/,.   a 
crrta...  co.upoMt.oii  in  which  our  ^rovernn.ent  a..d  nation 
W(  .•(.  rep..ese..led  nn.hu- 1    e  blaclu-st  colo.-s.     T.ic  cntoo 
y><'<lo.n  w.th  uh.eh  th,^   deleoal.s  f.-on.       -- colony  arc 
;  '^;;^  -^l  to  ron.a.n  i,.  l»a.is  h,s  c.nt.ibut.       ..ot  a  little, 
to  the  p,d,hca(M.n  of  th<.s<.  insoh-..t  declau.atio.,.,  a.id 
our  en(.n,.es  n.ay  have  i...aui„cd  that  th(-s(.   ...e.,  won- 
not  (hsapp,-oved  by  the  .ni,.,sU,.  of  his  most  Christia., 
Majesty,   ro.n  the  fact  that  not  the  sh^htest  <h»,o..slra- 
tio.i   has   been   ,   ade    njrainM    then..     J    ...ust    however 
assure  you  (hat  the  Ki...  never  s..spected  a..y  thin.r  of 
he  sort,  and   Ihat,   besides,   he  ..s   conv,..c<.d  that  "the 
I'onor  of  h.s  <rovernn,e,.t  and  the  ci-e(bt  o    his  nation 
can  never  (bpend  upon  the  invctives  of ga.  et„         uid 
ot  those  who  a,-e  their  ...sti;,ato.s.     JJut  I  ...ust  tell  you 
Irankly,  that  the  delicate  feHin^.s  of  his  Majesty  would 
nev(.r  have  allowed  hi.n,  had  he  bee,,  in  the  place  of  h.s 
cousin  ^i  l-r.      e.  to  be  satisfied  with  clo-in.  his  cars  to 
lK.se  W.O  style  tl.n.  .K.vs  the  d.  U-^mtcs  of  the  colony, 
and  that  he  certainly  would  hav<>  caused  f.  be  punished 
the  audac.ty  of  reprintin^r  and  republisln.i.r  ,„  Spain 
injur.ous  writh.gs  to  the  gov<.r..n,ent  of  his  ...ost  (  hristian' 
Majesty  and  to  tla^  ,  rench  nation.     IJis  Ma)."sty  thou.rht 
that  we  must  not  rc.nain  contented  with  the  int.n.Stc 


^    ^mk 


'«Mi(» 


(UtlMAI.I)lN    IJITTKIl    TO    Firi:NTi:N. 


imioii  wliicli  Mrids  tlu«  Iwo  moiuirclis  mikI  (lie  Iwo 
miiiiMt««rs,  hut  lli.il  wv  iiiiist  imikf  il  cmln-jicr  Mir  Iwo 
iiiKioiis,  iiiid  he  \»  corlaiii  (lint  writings  ultliiM  kind  \\\\\ 
not  pn.diicf  Hiich  itsiiIIm.  \'oiir  IvvccIIcik  y  knows  very 
wril  Ihiit  Ihr  loss  of  o;n>jit  iiifcr.'sls  is  looked  upon  in 
Spain  with  iiKlillririuM',  hut  (hut  it  is  not  so  with  irunnj 
to  insiills  and  i-onlunu'lics. 

"  As  soon  as  w(<   nccivcd    the  saiti   inanili'sto  of  the 
colonists,  it  was  (h'trrniiiH-d  that   Mr.  d(-   Tlloa  should 
answer   the    fahk's    and    th(>    (>\a<rj,n. rated     a<rusations 
wliieh   it   eonlains.     Ihil   helore   his  hein<r  iulornied  of 
this  deteriuination,   he   had   anticipate*!   our   iiiteiilions, 
aiul  had  sent  Iroiu  Cadi^x  the  eoiuuiunication  hereto  an- 
nexed.    'rii(<  copy   ot"  it   which    I    s««nd  you,  with   the 
ahstract  which  accompanies  it,  reiuh-rs,  as  it  were,  us(»- 
less,  all   the  other  papers  which  I  had  inteiid«>d  to  for- 
ward to  you.     Tlu'se   two   dojMinuMits  will  demouslrale 
to  you,  that   tlu>  true   ohjeet   of  the  inhahitants  of  the 
colony,  and  particularly  of  the  heads  of  th<'  S(>(lilion,  was 
to  live  in  the  most  absolute  independence,  wilhout  laws, 
without  police  and  without  onh'r,  ami  that  th(>  Kiii<r  has 
treated,  and  inti'iide*!  to  treat   th(>m,  at  all  future  lime, 
with  kimliu>ss,  and  to  favor  them  with  marks  of  pnMlilec- 
tioii  and  with  a  <,M-anl  of  liberty,  far  dilfeniit  from  those 
which  his  otli(>r  American  colonies  have  been  |)ermille(l 
to  cujoy,  whatever  may   be   their   merit,  and  whatt'ver 
services  they  may  hav**  rendered  to  the  metro|>olis. 

*' You  will  <five  an  account  of  the  whole  of  this  to 
the  I)uk(^  of  Choiseul,  and  you  w  ill  ask  him  for  a  letter 
or  d«M'laration  from  his  Most  Christian  Majesty,  in 
improbation  of  the  conduct  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Louisiana.  You  will  be<j[  that  minister  to  invite  his 
Most  Christian  Majesty  to  declare,  that  the  said 
inhabitants  of  the  colony,  bein<r  the  subjects  of  the 
king  his  corsin,  nuist  throw  themselves  upon  his  mercy 


uniMXLm'H  i.ktti:k  to  mii.:n,,:.s.  ^(i? 

'"'!'    "^'•'    '""''"'•    ''i'^    '"^v^-       Tl,r  ,„.,    of  ,-..Msio„    <,(•    ,|,p 
»M.lo,,v,  „H  vo..  will  s,.,.  |,v  ,.  n..n.  n.(i.n„.v  to  ,1...  ,..,,,. 

v^^^KsnlH,,hH.    an,lwMlnMn„„yol,li,.Hionwl.„t.^^^^^ 
•>";i;"'-<"»Mu.|v...«.      Only,  i,Ml„.  I.,,,.,- ,snl,Hrn„.n.ly 
wnl.;nto.V1.|)vvi,|.,.,,,.,,,,,,,,.,,^ 

.".s.m.a  .,  ,o  ,ho  Km.  Ins  rousir.  Ihh  rsin.:iaUou.  Jt 
..H(ml,olM.  \1a,rsly  wonl.l  nninlnin  (I.,,  ini.ahilanls  in 
I'-  <-"jo.y,„n,t  <,r  ih.ir  |„.iv,|<..,.s.  This  is  wl.a.  (ho 
IM..^'  was  .vHolvod  ..|u>„,  a„,|  h,.  j,,,,!  ,.,«.„  iss„r.l  „n|,.,H 
'"•'^'»nl'"«ly,  h.it  saal  irihahiCnls  l,;,vo  nndo  lh<..„solv..s 
umunWiy  ol  ihi.s  liivor  hy  their  rch,.|lio,i 

'7'"r  ''  ""'  •'•'*'  ^''"■'^  '  ''••'^"  •'»  '•'• 'SI  >•"„  to  atlond 

<"'   '>'•  ""•  |»n>s,.nt ;  for  aitho,,.!,  ll„.  ( ia/.otio  of  |-Vanco* 
<»«'Kl.l,   as   a  n.att.M-  of  .-oars,.,  ,o  h.-.vo   disavowod   tho 
art.rl.    n.sortod   in   soa.o   of   tho    |,,,,,n-s    of    ,ho    f.ow 
<.UMtruvsnnd.Tth.Ua.Mlo(/V/,.AV,^^^^^ 

»«•  H  I'ttlo  to«»  lato  to  d,>  so,  and  i(  w,>Ml,l,u,r  iM.ro.no  US 
loH<,|uMtH„cl,alhin^r.  Wo  hav,.  ro„t,M.t..d  o,.rsolv,.s 
w.fh  wnl.n^r  to  Vi<.,ma  and  Holland,  to  havo  tho  n.nody 
ii|)|)h('d  to  th,>  (.yil."  ^ 

;'''"'  '>'•'  l"'>v<li(.-.ry  to.npor  of  .S,.:;in  is  ro„d,,,sod  in 
tins    (MMn,H>s,„„n,    and     |,artionIarly     in     this   phras,.: 

1  our  h.vnUrnr,i  h„n,rs  rrn/  ircll  timf  Ihr  loss  of  nrait 
mlrrrsfs  ,s  loohul  upon  i„  Sj,ain  will,  indiprrn,rj>u7  (l>a( 
//  /.v  nofso  w,fh  rr.ard  to  insults  and  rontumdivsr  As  an 
<'X|Mvss,on  of  r<.,.|in^rs  and  sontin.(-nts,  a.s  an  o.xhil.ition 
<>  <-<>'<«  '".d  sohMnn  n.;.i(>sty,  this  doonn.ont  is  as 
<"l''"««-tonsl,c,  n.  its  way,  of  tho  Spanish  nation,  as  tho 
uwo  inspn-niir  .ra..d.-nr(,rthat  a.rhitcrlnral  wonder,  tl... 
well  known  pal.icc;  of  th(>  Ivsninal. 

Wliil,>  (!„.  rat(!  of  [.onisiana  was  thns  discussed  and 
settled  n.  Span.,  that  e<.lony  had  resn.ncMl  a  e(Mlain 
dc^n-oe  ol  apj.areiil  tran(|nillity,  l.nl  it  is  to  ho  (luostioncd 

*  'J'lio  ofliciiil  jourii;il. 


MPTOMS    OF    REACTION. 


whether  it  was  not  as  much  the  torpor  occasioned  by 
fear,  as  the  calm  which  betokens  true  repose  and  a  sense 
of   security.       Now   that    the     revolution    had    been 
accomplished,  its  results  could  be  measured  with  more 
accuracy.     Now  that  the  storm  was  hushed,  that  the 
angry  waves  were  smoothed  into  a  liquid  plain,  it  was 
easy  to  discover  if  any  thing  was  left  floating  on  its 
surface  to  inspire  hope.     Now  that  the  excitement  of 
action  liad  given  way  to  the  considerate  workings  of 
reflection,    there   was    ample    leisure   to   examine    the 
extent   and   nature   of    the   dangers   which   had   been 
brooding,  and  which  many  thought  they  saw  rising  up 
like  black  clouds  on  the  verge  of  the  horiijon.      What 
would  France  do  ?     What  would  Spain  resolve  ?     These 
were  questions  which  anxiety  propounded  to  itself,  and 
could  not  answer.     They  were  not  few,  those  who  al- 
ready repented  of  what  they  iiad  done,  and  who  ear- 
nestly struggled  to  show  that  they  had  not  participated 
in  the  revolution.  As  it  had  frequently  occurred  in  simi- 
lar circumstances,  the  leaders  were  beginning  to  find 
themselves  in  a  state  of  isolation,  and  to  be  alone  point- 
ed out  to  the  anger  of  the  coming  avenger.     The  crowd, 
among  which  they  had  lately  stood,  now  shrank  away 
from  them  gradually,  in  obedience  to  the  same  instinct 
which  prompts  the  wayfarer  to  avoid,  when  the  light- 
ning flashes,  the  proximity  of  those  tall  trees,  whoso 
shade  he  would  have  courted,  had  heaven  smiled  on  the 
green  honors  of  their  majestic  heads. 


SIXTH  LECTURE. 


Co,,OXV-SKCON-n     BKCKK.     OK     T,  K     00,',!"    """"'     ^     """"^     ™"-«     ''- 

..K..  OK  A.KV  „v  T,.K  co.ns;,:;:^^:  x;- ---^^ ™.s 

TUI.K    AGAINST   TllK    InsURGFNTS— T.,P    P„,  .         "'"'"^^    ANSV  tn— His     BOLD     AITI- 

uv-Av„av-.   ™u    TO    THK  !    ..5^:    'l,:."""'^  "'  ""^  ^''•'^^  -I'«- 
sEur,-DEc„EE   OK  THE    FiiE^niCo.lT  "'  '^"  """=  ^^■"'^  «*'f'"°i- 

OK  ™e  CO..O.V  .TO  nc^  ™"™;ss;:;:,"':  ™  ^^^^-^^^^ 

CCNKEDKRATES-IlE     DE.NOLNTla     TIIKM     TV      .7  ^  "'''■"'■"'     ™EAr„KnYTO     HIS 

MEST-ThIKO    DEMONSTHATro.    AC™'  1  r    ^  T't    ^     ""    "'""•"'    ^""^"■'^- 

INCEEASE     OK    THE    IfKV.T.OV     '  "'''^•';^*«'"-^^  """    OCCTRRED    ON    THE    0«-A,sro.N- 

LEADERS    OK   rJl^Z^^Z^Z  ^IT''"^^''''''''    "•=^"^"'"-    "™ 
INTO   THE    ARMS   OK    ExCL.M.It,  iv    Ln  ''"'""'^    '"'    '""•^^^'    -^"^'^^'VES 

TROOLS-THEm     ,..AN    OK    A     Kk    n  u         pf    "    """''    ^""'^'    ""^    ^""^    1"--- 

The  LEA..E.S  are  .nj,,,^^]^''^,:^]^^"',  — '— ^  ok  a  Ban._ 

i5.u.E  .„.H  SPANISH  -.,..sJvA™^i:r^7':™;Li;;:^:^  ^^  --^ 

mS    ASSOCUTI.    IXKOUM    Au.KV    THAT    THEV    SVnM.T   TO    T^X   ;;i:  ^^^     "" 
BIOORAPHY— He   sends    BoUfKJNV    AX      A    x,u:.^.-  .      '^l '»MAM>S— ()  BEILr.v's 

LOVO.A,    OaVARR,,   AND    ^^^Z.^r^^^T'!^   T    '''''''-''''    "-«"-^-  "V 
DEPORTMENT    ON   T^Vr    O....AS,.;v"\,      "      IZ^  J"'"'"'  ::"    M.DNH;„I.-An,Rv'.S 

THEIR     HOMAGE    TO     O'KeII  LY— I    u-.i^.v,,' ,„.  ,.  ,  TOESENT 

answer_A.rrv  .k,es  down  Tnt  Z   r^  ,""      ""'"     --'-'— ^'Reilly's 
AuBRY's  l.Ro..IA^,AT,„^- V^H,    u  ?;  ot"      r'%""  r'"""  '°  *''^^^"-"- 

THE    CoU-NY    taken    ON    ThJ      8.        Z      Xu^      ^^.^  ^^  "'--S-Po.ESS>ON  OK 
GOVEHNMKNT     ON     THIS    EVKNT_GT„;:  '     ^  '  •;?-^'"''»  **     ■"«>'^TC„    TO     H,s 

AND    THE  Fr,:n,h  ai^ho  m  Z^^Pn  L      "  '       "'"''  "  "'"°"  "-^  ^^""^ 
BUY'S   akswer-Aruk^o     THE    oZ^  '■'"""   '"  '"'"'"  ^   ApnuY-A,- 

•i»>ii.r,Bi      ut      IHE     CHIEK    (  OXSPIUATons (  I'l^tir  r  ..•,     u 

Tiirw T,,,....    ,,..,    I  '  '  ■'.  1  lUAioKh — WIitll.LYS    SPEECH    To 

;^»  -  ,„  „  „„. »" "  :;;:„;;;="r=.,r;:cisi:r 
r,;::,!_  r: :,:- .r;;;™:,:',  •"«  «■-'« »..».-..« r: 


I 


270 


M/rrilK    OF    AI'IIUY. 


KNTHIHMSM    I'-OII,    (»'l!ltlll,V 


I.ITrHU     TO     TIIK.     1''lirNlll     (JdVK 


IINMKNT,    IN 


\Mllcll    IIK    I'.MKIN    l.:VMIV     M-r    .11.    O'Ukimv       (I'ltKni.v'x    OlINIKN    (.1.     I'.Mll'Alll.T— 

Anmv'H    SrKni'ii  m  (fUMii  i.v,    in  his 


<i\\  N     N.\MK,     ANIl     IN 


m>i>v  OK  I''iii.:miii 


ii.»r  OK    riiM  wiioi.K 


in 


'rm;  year  I7(I(S  had  (IohimI  in  jjtlooin  lor  llu*  coloiiisls, 
mid  no  snnsliinc  liiid  o|mmumI  the  <'iinM<r  «tlils  nnrct'ssor. 
A  lowcriiijr  riond  .st'iMurd  lo  luivr  scllird  over  lli(«  wlioK* 
colony,  and  llio  donl)(s  wliicli  rxistcd  on  (lie  coni-.m*  to 
hi'  |)nrsn(>d  hv  Sjniin  nnd  I'Vnncc,  W(<r(<  (lion;rli(  to  1k» 
W(»rsc  lliiin  llic  siiddcst  n«idi(i»>M.  TIk-  chirts  of  lln' 
insnijit-nls  w.-ic  rvid«>n(lv  losinn;  frronnd,  >ind  \\\v 
Spanish  odicn-s,  I,ovoIii.  (iavjinc,  and  Naxainf  Ix'^ran 
to  nuM'l  with  n\on>  sniilrs  than  I'rownH,  and  to  discover 
ii  \vv\  \\viTv\)t\\)\v  dis|>osition  to  ronil  th«Mr  lavor. 
(Jovcinor  Anbrv  hinisrh"  appears  to  liav(>  been  ucluated 


In  tins  let'lino,  when,  on   the    ITith  of  l-'el 


Hilary,   I7(»!), 
K'    ciiptain 


le 


he    spontaiK'onslv     wrote     this     letter     to    ll 
jfeneral  of  the  island  of  Cnha  : 

"  I  hope  that  Mr.  I'lloa  do(>s  me  insli((>,  and  that  I 
lias  t<>stili(>d  to  my  yood  eondnct  ;  for,  no  one  ever 
loved  and  veniM'atiMl  the  Spanish  nation  mon>  than  I  do. 
This  revolnlion  disoranvs  the  |''n>neh  ol'  Louisiana. 
Althouiih  if  has  not  as  y(>t  spent  its  fnry  and  its  frenzied 
eoin-s(>,  yet  it  S(>eins  to  ni(>  that  som<>  of  the  most 
obstinate  amono-  the  insiirii«>nls,  b(>oin  to  look  into  the 
future  with  some  uinasinessi,  and  4'V(MI  fear;  aiul  if,  in 
these  eiirumstanees,  \\c  W(>re  favon-d  with  the  arrival 
ol  a  battalion  and  tln'  receipt  of  fome  money,  coupled 
with  assuranci>s  that  all  tlait  has  occurn^d  shall  be 
for<vott*>n  or  for<riven,  tramiuillity  would  soon  be  restored, 
aft«>r  the  inlliction  of  tlu<  just  |)unislun<>nts  which  they 
deserve,  on  a  small  number  of  seditious  persons,  who 
have  usurped  all  p.)wers  in  this  colony  and  who  liav(> 
done  all  the  lianu." 


Nevertheless,    those   chiefs   of    tl 


le    insurrection,    to 


Al'imV     AND    Till.;    <l>|rN(:||.. 


■jnt 


WI....M     A,,l„-,.    ,v„.   „||,„|i„j,,   ,„„|  „|,„    |„„|    „|^,      I 

l;    ■!"   "I    l,nr   ,„„.„„„    ui.l,    „„    |i,|„.Hn.   L." 
I>,j    n,..l   „  ,.,„l,„|,|,.„  ,|„.„.  ,„„|;.,|„,. ,7         3; 

;  •"    thnr  ..nil,  ,„  .I,,.,,- „l,i„,„„.  „„,„;„  „„„  ,„„\,,         ' 

'"1'"'"';;" ' '"-'  -'"■".  - ■  I  ..h  „r  „,.,.,„," 

-<Mm,I  h,.|,™,ry,  I7,i<,.      TI„.C„„„nl,,„k,,|A„l„vi„ 
vpl..M  wl.y  „.s  ,|..cr....  I„„|  „,„  ,„ „,„,,„,„,|  ;      " 

.'""«'"''>    "'"'"'■'■'■'I   II'.- .-..plni •   ,|„,   sn      N 

;;•"  I';""'-"' ,"- 1-"  h  m ,  ,■,,,„,  '   ' 

"""">' ""■" """I" "> i'''»i.'"  ii,„ |,.,„„,, i„.  ,,\„  "^ 

' ■  I""'- '"'I  ■"'■".  si„M„si,  ,„„i  i.v..m.i,  ,„  I, , : ' 

»•""  ■  ""■!  <"  «!."«  ,l„„  |,„  „,,s  ,l,.,..n„„„.,   ,0  ,,,,;„' 
n«  ,1,...  ,r„„„„.     ThiH   ,l,.„,„„si,,,„„„   ,,.,  . 

'    l'l'™vKv,h..Su|„.,i,„-C„„„nl,i„. «,™„i„    ':;■ 

.1"  "nnrr  ,,r,l,.|. ,,,  ,.,v,,,,l.s,n,,  .«,,i,,.,Ml,.  inj,,,,,, 

,    "  "'"   '"•  ;'''»-•"■- "«    Aul.rv,    «l,„  h,Ml  I,,.,.,,  HO 

S':T.:^''''^r''''"  ""''''■ ''■■•-' - •"  ^ 

•l(M(i.l  .        I  I  ,.s,.  ,v,.r,.  mili„»r„l>al,l,;  xijji.s  „f  ,|„,  „,„„. 

iioii  »:iicii  iiiiii  i,iii,,||  pi,,,,,,  "  '»•■<-- 

"'"  ",!•', "•■"  "!'"  I""l  rc.n„ii„.,|  ii,ii|,f„|  („  „„, 

"■"":;■  '"  ""■.->" "".  ■-"-. I...  •.'(.,:,  .,    M  ,.c 

™      ,-    ,.H,,u,,Mo    ,l,,M.uk.M,r  ,W,i,,,  i,,  ,,,;,^  ; 

,  ''  ""  '" 'I""-'  ■""■■  '!"■  k"W,  , v|„,,„.,l  „l,„,a 


■ 


ii   .i 


Ni;\v  i)i;i,i;(iATi:s  si;nt  to  Fuwrr. 


i  \ 


\    '% 


in 


had  iis(>(I  ill  their  lonucr  luldrcssos.  Sirnihir  aj>j)hc!i- 
tions  had  Ihm'u  iiumU'  to  every  prince  of  llie  l)I()()d,  j,iid 
almost  to  every  j)erti()ii  suinxKsed  to  cxcrciso  sonio  iiillu- 
eiice  at  court. 

When  this  ad(lr(!ss  rea<Hu>d  the  niiiiister  Duke;  of 
Prashii,  ho,  ahnost  at  the  .same  time,  receiviid  a 
despatch,  of  the  1st  of  April,  from  Aiihry,  in  which  this 
oliicer  informed  him  that  the  people-  hein^r  o\er\vheliiied 
by  the  misiM-y  to  which  they  were  rednced,  were  niiir- 
nmrino;  aiijainst  tlu^  chiefs  of  the  insurrection,  whose 
party  was  rapidly  tliinniii*,^  away. 

Ill  the  mean  tini(>,  the  new  de|iiities,  whom  the 
colonists  had  sent  to  France,  succeeded  no  l)(>tt(>r  tjian 
their  predecessors.  Itienville,  on  whose  suj>[)ort  tlu^y 
mio-ht  have  relied,  so  far  as  it  went,  had  ceased  to  (>xist, 
and  the  minist(>r  Duke  of  Choisenl,  who  had  advised  the 
cession,  was  still  in  office.  St.  Lette,  one  of  the 
deputies,  had,  in  (>arly  life,  attracted  the  friendly  re<.;ir(l 
of  that  noldiMiuin,  and  a  sort  of  intimacy  had  sprung  up 
between  them.  The  Duke  welcomed  with  open  jmns 
the  friend  of  his  youthful  days,  and  prevented  his  return 
to  f.ouisiana,  by  givin<r  him  a  lucrative  emph)yment  in 
the  l':ast  Indies,  Hut  he  received  with  mark<>d  dis- 
pl(<asure  St.  Letter's  collea<rii(<s,  mid  treated  them  as 
troublesome  intruders,  lie  told  them  that  it  was  too 
late  for  ihe  Kino-  of  IVa-ice  to  undo  what  he  had  done  ; 
and  that  the  King  of  S|)ain  had  oiveii  the  n(>(-essarv 
orders  !<»  take  possession  of  the  |U'ovince.  NothiiJr 
now  ninaiiu'd  for  the  deputies  to  do,  but  to  hasten  back 
and  to  inform  their  fellow  citizens  of  their  irrevocable 
doom. 

'rh(>sc  dej)utios  had  also  been  instructed  to  solicit 
from  the  l''r<Micli  government  some  liiial  settlement,  con- 
cerning the  notes  which  it  had  emitted,  and  which 
formed   the  currency  of   the  country.     The  King   of 


roiicAui/r's  tiiicacmkhy. 


27li 


m 


Inmc.o.  took  into  consicLM-alion  ih.-i,.  ,v,Mvsonl;,iio„s  o., 

Iio    S(il»|,.,;l,   „n,|   onl(.n.,|   ||,,|    ,h,.,s,.   no,(-s  Uv.    |,n,„...|,t 

bark  (o  (|,<.   |.V.-,u-l,   l,v;,s„rv    .„    Lonisia.u.,  I.Hbrc  U,o 

iHtol  S,.|,l...„l,«MMT(i!),  ,„  onlrr  to  |,o  coi.vcird  into 

»>on«ls  iM-m-.n-r  ;,.,   intnvsf   of  (iv,-  ,>,.,.  cent,  i.nt.l  rom- 

l>;;l''  |M.y.n..,.f.     It   ^v,ll  h.   n.-oH,,,,.!   that  IMIon  had 

"'''''•«■«';   •"    «7<5<N  to  tak,.  „,>  this  ,m|„>r  at  ti.o    rat<.   of 

<i;i>';7-i.«tion,  (T.Vmt  rr„l.,)-uhidi  had   hrrn  (ix<-d  hv 

'  '«;  l^nM.d,  o,,vc.nm...,,t  itsc-h;  and  to  pay  (or  its  vah,,.  i,, 

r^ollais.      I  Ur,  .olonisls  i.a.l   rdns,.!,  on'  the  uro.nul  that 

f"l»'''"  '•'"•'••'"'•)•  '•'<  I'-""-.  Thns,  as  it  is  s.vn,  th.>ir 
'<>|M-s  ^^cvv  not  ivali/.,.,!.  aiul  thn  conNvrsion  which  ha,l 
«>•'<•"  .vs.n-l,.d  (<,,  hrin.-  look,.,!  upon  as  an  (xprd.rnt  of 
<'.""'>""'l  d'Hiact,.,-,  uhich  pron.is.'d  liitl,.  (or  the  fntniv 
■'  .■MM"-«''-'.>l<'<l  with  th..  cx\>vvuucv  of  ih(>  past,  Mas  not 
Ciilcnlah^d  to  ivstoi-c  any  dvu^voc  of, .as.,  to  Ih.;  alD.irs  of 
lli(!  ('olony. 

'^^'•"canh,    who    had    taken    so   actiN(>   a   part    in   tho 
(-onspn-acy,  ahhon^h  in  his  ollicial  arts  and  his  h,n.rna<.e 
'"   1'"'''"^'   ''^'    '""I   •'"dravor.-d    so   to  (.p.ivocate '-.s  ?„ 
'>'•  i'l'l*'  <o  suh.,  when  lh(-  iinu"  shoid.l   conM-,  with    tho 
viclonons   parlv,    and    to    rh.ini    Ihc    merit    of    havin..- 
always  h,'lon;,M.d  to  its  lian,  l,a\in-  shuhed   the  si-ns  ol' 
tiio   liorizon,   and   ascertained  Innn    which    (piarl.T   Uie 
wind  was  hkel.v  to  hlow,  triinined  his  sails  acconhn-dv 
llK'    rloiik    which  had   conceal...!   th.'   conspirator    was 
partially    laid    asid.>,    not    fo    show    th.'   tni..   diaract.-r 
•"•"••all.  lis  folds,  hni   loallou  the  hea.l  of  ih..   inlorin,.r 
t<»    p<-«T    out,    and     watch     Ih..    opporhinify     for    op,.n 
''''"""''"'^'*"'-     ''''"•>    "i   lli«'   --Msl    of   March,   1...   had 
wrill..n   to  tin.  l^.-nc-j  cahinet  at  Vcrsailh.s,  lo   ,nslify 
l'ims..|l    (or  havni^r  (.onvoned  th.^   (V)nncil,   whi.-h    hall 
<'X|M'll,.d  I  lloa,  and   he   had  ^iv.-n  it  ont  as  an  ..xcnso 
tluitho  hudyiehhd  to  Ibrce  (nily,  as  he  had  not  at  his 

18 


\  . 


274 


foucaflt's  treachery. 


.i   ■ 


disposal  over  one  liundred  and  fifty  men,  to  oppose  the 
one  thousand  rebels  who  threatened  the  Spaniards.  He 
also  declared  that,  if  there  were  any  truth  in  the  rumors 
whispered  about,  the  Syndics  or  headmen,  who  had 
been  selected  by  the  different  classes  of  the  inhabitants, 
to  watch  over  their  interests,  had  sadly  misused  the 
powers  delegated  to  them ;  that  the  number  of  persons 
demanding  the  complete  expulsion  of  the  Spaniards  had 
considerably  diminished,  and  furthermore,  that  many 
were  opposed  to  it,  because  they  feared  losing,  in  that 
case,  Avhat  was  due  to  them  for  the  Spanish  obligations 
they  held  in  their  hands. 

The  cautious  phraseology  in  which  the  whole  of 
Foucault's  despatch  is  written,  may  be  offered  as  a 
model  of  compJbstion  to  such  artful  villains.  "Were  it 
possible  for  me,"  said  he,  "  to  feel  the  public  pulse  on 
these  matters,  I  should  perhaps  verify  that  these  rumors 
are  well  founded.  Should  this  be  the  fact,  I  would  then, 
jointly  with  Mr.  Aubry,  pursue  such  a  course  as  would 
be  sufficient  to  overawe  certain  individuals,  who  take 
themselves  to  be  very  important  beings.  They  are, 
after  all,  but  pretty  bad  fellows,  who,  being  loaded  with 
debt,  seem  striving,  with  eager  emulation,  to  avail 
themselves  of  the  overthrow  of  the  colony,  in  order  to 
retain  with  impunity  the  funds  which  have  been 
advanced  to  them,  and  who  are  indifferent  about  the 
country  they  may  live  in,  considering  that  they  are  not 
bound  to  Louisiana  by  the  actual  possession  of  any  real 
estate.  I  think  that,  were  it  not  for  them,  I  should  no 
longer  stand  witness  to  the  most  indecent  and  audacious 
deportment.  There  would  no  longer  be  any  reason  to 
fear  the  execution  of  the  detestable  project,  which  is 
said  to  have  been  formed,  of  burning  New-Orleans,  on 
the  first  news  of  the  arrival  of  the  Spanish  troops,  if  it 
be   still  decieed   that    Louisiana  must   belong   to  his 


foucault's  treachery.  275 

Catholic  Majesty.      Mr.  D'Acosta,  the  captain  of  the 
frigate,  would  be  at  hberty  to  prepare  himself  quietly  to 
regulate  ns  departure,  according  to  the  orders  given  to 
nm  l>y  Ulloa    and  the  other  Spaniards  might  do  the 
same.     The  officers  of  the  Spanish  administration  would 
no  longer  be  exposed  to  a  forced  departure,  without 
havmg  time  to  settle  their  accounts,  and  the  anarchy 
and  confusion  which  have  taken  the  place  of  the  small 
amount  of  good  order  that  prevailed  in  this  colony, 
would  soon  disappear.     But,  being  under  the  apprehen' 
sion  when  trying  to  avoid  one  evil,  of  falling  into  another 
equally  great,  I  iiave  taken  the  resolution  to  be  silent 
and  inactive,  whilst  waiting  for  the  orders  of  the  two 
courts  of  I  ranee  and  Spain.  Without  caring,  however,  for 
he  discontent  produced  by  all  my  acts  of  opposition  to 
the  enterprises   of  these  turbulent   spirits  against  the 
Spaniards    I  will  use  the  most  practicable  means,  to 
contrive  that  the  officers  of  the  Spanish  administralion 
remain  here  untd  the  receipt  of  those  orders  " 

It  IS  no  very  far  stretch  of  the  imagination  to  suppose 
that,  on  the  very  day  when  this  letter  was  writtei,  in 
which  the  fathers  of  the  insurrection  to  which  Foucault 
had  stood  sponsor,  were  denounced  as  bankrupts,  thieves, 
detestable  incendiaries,  and  the  like,  this  snme  man  enter- 
tamed  at  supper,  as  usual,  at  the  country  seat  of  his 
paramour.   Madam   Pradel,    those  turbulent  spirits   and 
would  be  important  beings  whom  lie  had  denounced  to 
the  Irene,  government,  and  who,  of  course,  could  be 
no  other  than  his  friends  and  confederates,  Lafreniere,' 
Villere    Noyan,  Masan,  &c.-whom  he  had  goaded  on 
to  shake  ofi  the  hated  Spanish  yoke,  and  with  whose 
destinies  he  seemed  to  have  linked  his  fortunes.     Tiiere 
are  few  conspiracies  and  perilous  enterprises,  in  which 
such  men  as  Foucault  are  not  to  be  detected     They 
arc   the  alloy,  the  baser  metal  which  appears  to   be 


27G 


DIM'AllTUUE   OF    TIIK    FRKJATi:. 


npccssary  to  the  composition  of  tlio  jrrcat  liuiiuvn 
coiiiajro.  ICxpcriciicc  tcacln'S,  and  the  study  of  histori- 
cal rocords  dornonst rates,  that,  within  the  shadow  of 
every  man  of  noble  thoui,d»ts  and  d<M^ds,  there  always  lie 
some  evil  spirits,  cronchin;^  in  anil>ush,  and  vatchin*^  for 
every  oj)poriuni(y  to  j)rey  on  the  object  of  their  envy 
and  hatr<Ml.  It  must  be  admitted  that,  in  the  drama  in 
which  h(^  was  enjyjiiired,  Toucault  acted  his  j)art,  w  ith  a 
consistency  of  infamy,  and  a  cool,  systematic  regularity 
of  treachery,  which  nuist  obtain  for  him  nmch  credit 
with  congenial  minds,  ii  is  but  tardy  justice,  consola- 
tory, it  is  true,  as  all  acts  of  justice  are,  that  such  a 
felon  should  \ni  dragged  before  the  tribunal  of  posterity, 
and  hung  up  on  the  gibbet  of  atonement. 

Notwithstanding  tiu!  disheartening  prospect  they  had 
belong  them,  som(»  of  the  C()ns])irat()rs  persisted  in  their 
designs,  and  attem|)ted  to  make  another  demonstration 
against  the  Spanish  frigate,  by  inducing  the  Germans  to 
come  to  town  for  that  purpose.  ]bit  Aubry  sent  to  the 
Ccrman  Coast  several  oflicers,  whose  presence  and 
exhortations  prevented  the  outbreak  which  Mas  intended. 
"iMr.  do  Lafreniere,"  wrote  Aubry,  "lias  nmch  contri- 
buted to  restore  tramiuillity.  This,  to  be  just  to  him, 
nmst  be  said  in  his  favor,  whatever  may  have  been  his 
previous  errors."  (Jrcat  indeed  must  have  been  the 
reaction,  when  Lafreniere  came  forth  to  advocate 
ac(|ui(>scence ! 

IJut  the  captain  of  the  frigate,  in  order  to  do  away 
with  all  pret(\\ts  for  further  disturbances,  resolved  to 
sail  on  the  2()th  of  April.  On  that  day,  all  the  oflicers 
of  that  vessel  waited  in  a  body  on  (Governor  Aubry,  and 
thanked  iiim  for  the  protection  and  the  many  favors 
they  had  received  at  his  hands.  On  their  returnin<r  to 
the  frigate,  they  met  on  the  bank  of  tlu^  river  a  large 
concourse  of  people,  who  had  assembled  to  w  itness  their 


DKI'ARTtJRi:    OF    TIIK    niKJATR. 


277 


loparturo.  fho  crow.l  wnn  silent,  and  .avo  no  si-m  of 
l»osl.l,fy  On  tl.0  contrary,  son.c,  an.on^r  thoni  addn-ssod 
words  of  sy,n,.atl.y,  of  p.^rsonal  resj,(.ct  and  of  (rinidlv 
groo  „,,  to  to  oflicers,  as  they  passed  alon,.  As  soon 
as  Captain  D  Acosta  stepped  on  tin,  deck  of  the  Volanle 
men  were  seen  nn.nin^r  „,>  the  n.asls,  and  sic  bcnui  to 

jnurllK^r, road  sails  to  the  s,ron,hreeze  winch  coul^^ 

lien,  to   Its  c.nhrace.     Soon  afl.M-,  the  three,   Spanish 

d,.,nt„,es,  Loyola,  (;ayarre  and  Navarro,  who  1  ul  ac 

compan.ed  D'Acosta  on   board,  were  seen  descending 

into  then-  boat,  and  rapidly  approac.hin.  the  bank  of  the 

mn.     On  their  lanchn^,  the  crowd  opened  before  tnem 

Hh  respect,  and  as  these  ^M-ntlen.en  trod  thron-d.  this 

Uinan   avenue,  on   th<Mr  way  to  their  residences,  they 

nnrnv'^t''  ":'  \'^"'''  ^""•^  <l<-Mrocofstatel-for'; 

".lay.  No  outward  s,^r„s  .s|,o,ved  what  they  may  have 
telt,  at  ben.g  thus  left  alone  in  the  nndst  of  a  ho  tie 
pop.dat.on.  In  the  steady  look  with  which  they  n,e  c 
pu  he  gaze,  there  was  no  fear,  no  anger,  no 'lef.anc: 
bu  only  an  expression  of  eold  indifference,  although 
pcihaps  a  close  observer  nnght   Inve  delected  the  sm,- 

ressed  scrutnnz.ng  glance,  which  strove  to  study  on 

the  surrounding  faces  the  secret  feelings  of  the  hearts. 

Inthcinean  tnne,the  frigale  h.d  begun  to  n.ove  on 

1)  A  osta   standing  up  <,n   the   cpiarter  deck,  raised  bis 

lia  d  to  Ins  hat,  took  it  oli;  an<l   bowed  to  the  crowd 

with    as  some  allecled  to  belic.ve,  all  the  pride  of  n.ock 

-nuhty      At  this  very  nu>nu>nt,  the  n^ 

he,  broadsides,  ,n  a  salute  to  the  town,  and  e.nennn.r 

from  the  cloud  of  smoke,  will,  all  her  colors  gaily  sifort'! 

mg  m  the  wind,  was  seen,   in  a  few  minutes,  tnrnin. 

lound  tha   point,  on  the  opposite,  side  of  the  river,  where 

now  stands  the  town  of  Algiers.     Thus  the  last  satis- 

taction    which   the   cJonisfs    had   desired,    had    been 


>  I 


141    ■ 

1 


278 


INCREASE    or    THE    REACTION. 


u 


granted  to  them  ;  yet  it  was  evident  that  no  feeling  of 
exultation  existed  among  the  assemblage,  that  stood 
gazing  at  the  turbid  waters  of  the  Mississippi,  for  some 
time  after  the  frigate  had  disappeared.  No  shouts  of 
joy  or  triumph  had  been  uttered  ;  silence  was  on  the 
lips,  and  anxiety  in  the  hearts  of  all.  They  seemed  to 
be  in  an  atmosphere  of  gloom  ;  and  that  undefined  feel- 
ing which  proceeds  from  the  vague  anticii)ation  of 
coming  danger,  pervaded  the  whole  nmltitude.  At  last, 
they  dispersed  in  small  detached  groups,  whispering  to 
each  other,  and  bearing  stamj)ed  on  their  brows  the 
thoughts  that  worked  in  their  brains. 

The  revolutionary  tide  Avas  indeed  ebbing  fast  away, 
and  leaving  stranded  on  the  shore,  those  it  had  borno 
onward  to  momentary  success.     The  conspirators  had 
hoped  at  nrst,  that,  on  their  showing  a  strong  aversion 
to  a  foreign  domination,  and   on    their   expelling  the 
Spanish  Governor,  they  might  have   induced  both  the 
French  and  Spanish  governments,  to  consider  as  null 
the  treaty  of  cession— the  more  so,  that  Spain  did  not 
seem  to  set  any  value  on  the  donation  which  had  been 
presented  to  her.     When  this  hope  i.ad  been  frustrated, 
they  attempted  to  throw^  themselves  into  the  arms  of 
England,  by  sending  emissaries  to  the  governor  of  Pen- 
sacola,  with  Mhom  they  w^ere  to  enter  into  arrange- 
ments.    But    the    reception   which    they   met   in  that 
quarter,  convinced  them  that  they  were  to  look  else- 
where for  support.     England,  besides  the  breach  of  faith 
of  which  she  would  have  been  guilty,  and  besides  giving 
the  bad  example  of  encouraging  the  rebellion  of  colonies', 
was  not  then  disposed  to  renew  the  long  wars  she  had 
Avaged  against  France  and  Spain,  merely  for  the  then 
prltry  consideration  of  the  acquisition  of  Louisiana. 

Reduced  to  the  last  stage  of  despair,  the  Hotspurs 
among  the  insurgents  proposed  to  expel  yVubry,  and  the 


SCHEME    OF    A    REPUBLIC. 


279 


few  Wencli  troops  thnt  wore  in  the  colony,  to  prochiim 
.ew-()rleans  a  Iroe  po,      and  to  form  a  republic,  where 
^e  f.ppre8sed  a    \  th     nco  '      „nong  ail  tlie  nations  of 
the  earth,  would  fin  .,„d  ^  i,o„ie.     The  chief 

oi  the  ropubhc  v  as  u,  bv  styled  Prolcctor,  and  to  be 
assisted  by  a  council  of  forty  men  elected  by  the  people, 
either  (or  li'  or  for  a  certain  number  of  years.  A  bank, 
on  th(  plan  of  that  of  Amsterdam  or  of  Venice,  was  to 
be  created,  and  to  furnish  the  commonwealth  witii  the 
currency  of  which  it  would  stand  in  need,  l^ho  Swiss 
captain  Marquis  had  originated  this  scheme  of  arepublicj 
and  he  violently  and  op  ly  reconunended  its  adoption 
—so  much  so,  that  it  .,.  came  a  subject  of  discussion, 
for  and  against,  in  printed  and  in  manuscript  documents 
w  uch  were  circulated  through  the  c  lony,  and  some  of 
which  are  really  of  a  curious  character. 

If  the  plan  of  Maniuis  could  have  been  executed,  and 
a  Lord  Protector  elected,  it  is  probable  that  Lafreniere 
would  have  become  the  Cromwell  of  Louisiana.     There 
IS  no  doubt  but  that  the  colonists  would  have  eagerly 
adopted  this  form  of  government,  had  it  been  poSible 
at  the  tunc ;  for  it  must  be  recollected  that,  from  the 
earliest  existence  of  the  colony,  almost  all  its  governors 
liad  uniformly  complained  of  the  republican  spirit  which 
they  had  observed  in  the  inhabitants.     It  would  seem 
as  if  the  European  emigrants,  on  their  arriving  in  Loui- 
siana,  had  so  imbibed  the  conception  and  the  love  of 
independence  from  the  roaming  life  of  the  aborigines, 
from  the  sight  of  the  boundless  forests,  from  the  im- 
mensity of  the  domain  which  invited  conquest,  that  they 
waxed  impatient  of  the  yoke  imposed  upon  them  by  a 
dis^tant  power.     But  the  colonists,  on  maturer  and  cooler 
reflection,  became  convinced  that  France,  Spain  and 
England,  for  reasons  too  obvious  to  be  enumerated,  would 
never  permit  their  rebellion  to  terminate  successfully 


i^^^o, 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

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J'  I 


I 


ANXIETIES    OF   THE    PUBLIC    MIND. 


into  the  establi.shmeiit  of  a  republic  in  Louisiana.     Tiiey 
tliercfore  abandoned  the  idea  as   quixotic;   but  they, 
nevertheless,  bequeathed  to  their  posterity  the  right  of 
claiming  for  Louisiana  the  merit  of  liaving  been  the  first 
European  colony  that  entertained  the  design  of  pro- 
claiming her  independence.     The  stoutest  hearts,  how- 
ever, ana  the  noblest  minds  cannot  achieve  impossibili- 
ties.    The  thought  of  a  rei)ublic  had  been  but  a  rosy 
colored  bubble  of  the  imagmation,  or  rather  a  flittino- 
rainbow,  spanning  the  firmament  of  a  dream,  and  cZ 
couragmg  hopes  but  to  have  them  extinguished  in  the 
night  of  the   gathering   storm.      So  was   it  with    the 
majority  of  the  colonists,  who,  in  the  wreck  of  their 
fortunes,  having  in  vain  looked  round  for  any  means  of 
salvation,  now  abandoned  themselves  to  the  course  of 
events,  and  were  constrained  passively  to  wait  for  what 
tate  would  ultimately  decide. 

Rumors  were  rife  in  the  colony,  as  to  the  prepara- 
tions which  Spam  was  making,  to  'take  possession  of 
Louisiana,  and   to  punish  the    insult  which  iiad  been 
offered  to  her.      Nothing  positive,  however,  could  be 
ascertained,  and  tlic  very  vagueness  of  the  information 
received,  added  to  the   anxieties   of  the  public  mind, 
lliose  who  had  played  the  most  conspicuous  part  in  the 
conspiracy  were  advised  to  fly ;  but  this  could  be  more 
easily  proposed  than  exc-cuted.      It  would  liave  been 
impossible  for  them  to  sell  their  property,  on  account  of 
the  extreme  penury  to  which  the  province  was  reduced; 
and  jf  there  had  been  men  able  to  purchase,  they  would 
have  hesitated  to  invest  their  money  in  so  insecure  a 
manner;  for,  these  sales  might  perhaps  have  been  set 
aside,  on  the  ground  that  they  were  not  made  in  good 
faith,  but,  in  collusion,  only  to  protect  traitors,  and  to 
defraud  the  Spanish  treasury  of  what  confiscation  would 
have   brought   into   its  coffers.      The    leaders   of   the 


li  i 

11  •  :* 


REACTIOX   IN    FAVOR   OF    THE    SPANISH   OFFICERS.    281 


)ccn 


insurrection,  tliorcforo,  recoiled  from  the  idea  of  break- 
ing  the  ties  which  bound  them  to  Louisiana,  where  some 
ot  tiiem  were  born,  and  wliere  the  rest  had  passed  the 
greater  portion  of  their  hves  ;  and  they  turned  away 
troni  tlie  dire  prospect  of  dragcrin;.,  in  poverty,  with 
their  famihes,  the  miserable  existence  of  exiles  in 
foreign  lands.  Besides,  many  among  them  flattered 
themselves  that  a  prompt  and  entire  submission  on  their 
part,  coupled  with  assurances  of  repentance,  would 
secure  pardon  and  safety. 

In  proportion  as  all  ideas  of  resistance  were  gradual- 
ly  abandoned,  and  as  the  schemes  of  the  authors  of  f  lie 
revolution  were  successively  demonstrated  to  be  imprac- 
ticable, Loyola,  Glayarre,  and  Navarro,  had  seen  the 
circle    of    their    friends    increasinjr,    and    their    own 
importance  rising  in  the  colony.     It  was  supposed  that, 
from  their  having  gone   througli  all  the  i)hases  of  the 
revolution,  and  from  their  official  position,  they  mioht 
exercise  great  influence  on  the  determination,  which  The 
Spanish  government  might  subsequently  take,  and  it  is 
very  natural  that  a  propitiation  of  their  favor  should 
have  been  sought  by  those  who  trembled  for  their  lives 
or  for  the  safety  of   the  objects  they  loved.     These 
three  Spanish  officers  were  men  capable  of  sympathiz- 
ing with  the  deep  anxieties  which  they  saw,  and  they 
became  painfully  affected   by    the  direct  and  indirect 
appeals,  which  w^ere  repeatedly  made  to  their  feelin-rs 
i^ot  knowing  what  their  government  intended  to  do,  and 
carelul  not   to   commit   themselves  to   any  course   of 
action  ill  their  official  capacity,  they  were  obliged  to  act 
with  a  coiisid(.rable  degree  of  caution,  imposed  upon 
tliem  by  the  peculiar  circumstancc^s  under  which  they 
were  placed,  and  they  had  to  confine  themselves  to 
mere   assurances,   as   to   their    personal    feeliims   and 
wishes,  and  as  to   the  expectations  to  be  formc°d  from 


if 


282 


ARIMVAL   OF    o'reiLLY. 


\^'-  n 


the    Acll-kiiown   clcinoncy,  which   was  a  distinguished 
feature  in  the;  character  of  Charles  III. 

'J'hiis  matters  stood,  when,  on  the  mornincr  of  the  2-^1  th 
of  .Inly,    1 7()!),   Jic  whole  town  of  New  Orleans  was 
thrown   into  violent  commotion,  by  the  news  that  a 
formidahle  Spanish  Ih-et  had  made  its  apj)earance  at  the 
Balize,  that  (ienerai  O'UeiJly  was  the  officer  whom  the 
court  of  Miidrid  had  appointed  to  take  possession  of 
Louisiana,  and   that  he  broncrjit  with  him  such  large 
forces,  that  any  attempt  at  resistance  would  be  prepo's- 
teroiis.      Mar<mis,  liowever,  stuck  a  white  cockade  in 
his  hat,  and  appeared  on  the  public  square,  where  he 
made    ineirectual    eflbrts    to    persuade    the   people   to 
oppose;  the  jiuiding  of  the  Spaniards.    Only  one  hundred 
"icn    joined  him,    and   set   up    the    white   cockade  of 
France.      IVtit   made   iiis   appearance   with   a  pair  of 
pistols   in   his  hands,  spoke  with  the   most  passionate 
violence;    agiiinst    th(>   Spaniards,   whom,  he    said,    the 
colonists  were  bound  to  tight  to  the  last,  and  declared 
iiimsclf  ready  to  j)low  out  the  brains  of  every  coward 
that  woidd  not  co-operate  in  that  holy  war.     But  they 
both  soon  retired,  when  they  found  out  that  their  words 
m(>t  with  no  sympathizing  echo,  and  that  theirs  was  the 
voice  in  the  wilderness. 

Seemg  the  ho[)elessness  of  their  condition,  the 
leaders  of  the  insurgents  became  greatly  alarmed,  on 
being  convinced  that  they  could  not  even  make  a  show 
o{  r(>sislance,  so  as  perha|)s  to  secure  favorable  terms 
of  caphiilation;  and,  being  humbled  by  the  desperate 
state  to  which  they  were  reduced,  |)resented  themselves 
before  Aubry,  to  ask  for  his  advice  and  protection. 
They  were  (ividently  thrown  into  dismay,  by  the  magni- 
tude of  the  armament  wliich  had  been  fitted  out  a<Tainst 
them,  and  put  under  the  direction  of  one  of  the  most 
skilful  generals  of  Europe.      Aubry  did  all  he  could  to 


f. 


THE    CAREER    OF    O'reILLY. 


283 


cheer  and  encourage  tliem ;  he  expressed  the  belief  (hat 
General   O'Reilly   could  not  possibly  come   with   the 
intention  of  carryin<r  terror  and  desolation  throuirh  the 
land,  and  he  observed  that,  no  blood  having  been  spilt, 
It  was  to  be  hoped  that  the  colonists,  if  they  submitted 
promptly,  would  not  in  vain  trust  to  the  good  heart  and 
clemency  of  his  Catholic  Majesty.      He  also  promised 
that  he  would  make  them  acciuaiiitcd  with  O'lieilly's 
intentions,  as  soon  as  he  should  be  informed  of  them. 
In  the  mean  time,  he  ordered  them  to  remain  quiet,  and 
they    took    the   engagement  to   obey   his    instructions. 
Then,   without   loss    of    tiuu^    Aubry    despatched   an 
officer  to  the  (Jerman  Coast,  to  tranquillize  its  inhabit- 
ants,  and  to  command  them,  in  the  nam(>  of  the  Kinp-, 
not  to  stir,  under  the  penalty  of  being  punished  as  relxls! 
The  Spanish  general,  whose  arrival  was  soon  to  be 
expected,  was  born  in  Ireland,*  about  the  year  1735. 
He  was  a  Catholic,  and  following  the  exami)le  of  many 
of  his  countrymen  who  belonged  to  that  cn^ed,  and  who, 
on  that  account,  labored  under  many  disabilities  in  their 
native   country,   lie  sought   to  better  his  fortunes   by 
cnhstmg  in  the  arnu'es  of  one  of  the  continental  powers. 
For  this  purpose,  Alexander  O'Reilly  went  to  Spain, 
when   very  young,    and    entered    the    service   of   the 
Spanish  nation,  by  joining  a  body  of  Irishmen  known 
under  the  name  of  the  Hihcrma  rc<>-imcMt.     In  the  war 
to  which  gave   rise    the    pretensions    of   the    dilferent 
princes  of  Europe  to  the  Austrian  succession,  on  the 
death  of  the  emperor  Charles  VI.,  who  left  no  other 
lineal  descendant  than  Maria  Tlu^resa,  O'Reilly  served 
with  distinction  in  Italy,  and  received  a  wound  which 
lam(>d  him  for  th(>  remnant  of  his  days.     In  1T.")7,  he 
obtained  permission  to  enter  the  Austrian  army,  and, 
under  the  orders  of  his  countryman,  Field-marshal  do 

*  Biograpliiu  uiiiversflle  de  I\Iicli;uul. 


284 


THE    CAREER    OF    O'rEILLY. 


m 


Lascy,  ho  made  two  cjiinpainrns  njrainst  tlic  Prussians. 
In  17.-)!),  he  vohintocrod  in  the  armies  of  France,  and 
distiiiirnished  liinisclfso  nuich,  that  the  Marsihal  Duke  of 
IJro^rlu.  warmly  recommended  him  to  the  Kin^r  of  Spain, 
wlien  lie  returned  to  that  country.     This  reconnnenda- 
tion   procured   for    (VJJeilly  the   <rriule   of  Lieutenaut- 
colono!,  and,  as  such,  he  served  in  Portu^ml  with  the 
Spaniards,    a<;ainst    the    Portu^ruese    assisted    hy   the 
Kii^hsh.      Tiiis  war  was  not  glorious  tor  Spain;  hut 
()  lv(>illy  ohtamed  ^rreat  reputation  at  the  head  of  a  hody 
of  lio-ht  troops,  which  had  heen  intrusted  to  his  com- 
mand.    Even  at  that  time,  lie  was  rei)uted  one  of  the 
best  ofhcers  m  the  Spanish  armies.    Hence  he  soon  rose 
to  the  raidv  of  Urioradi^.r-tJeneral,  and  the  post  of  drilJin<T 
adjutant  was  created  for  him.      It  was  in  the  discharge 
oi  these  hmctions,  that  he  tauoht  the  Spanish  troops  the 
Corman  maud-uvres  and  tactics.      On  the  conclusion  of 
the   peace  treaty    signed    at    I'ontainehleau,    in   17()2 
winch  restored  Havana  to  Spain,  he  was  raised  to  the' 
rank  of  iMajor-CJenernl,  and  sent  to  that  city,  where  he 
was  to  he  the  second  in  command.     He  roestablislied 
the  fortifications  of  the  island  of  Cui)a,  iind  particularly 
of  Havana,  which  had  l)een  ruined  hy  the  English,  and 
returned  to  Spain,  wliere  he  was  iippointed  Inspector- 
General  of  the  king's  infantry;   and   Charles  HI.  paid 
hun  the  compliment  of  honoring  with  his  presence  the 
operations  of  a  manauivring  camp,  of  which  lie  gave 
hun  the  command.     He  was  next  sent  to  New  Orleans, 
m  17(;f),  where  I  shall  have  to  relate  in  details  the  part 
which  he  acted.      In   17().-),  Ceneral  O'Ueillv,  hy  his 
presence  of  mind,  the  rapidity  of  his  movements,  and 
his  cool  intrepidity,  had  had  the  good  luck  to  save  the 
King's  life  in  the   famous  Madrid   insurrection,  which 
forced  the  sovereign  to  {\y  to  Aranjuez.     From  that 
time,  he  continued  to  rise  in  the  i'a\or  of  a  monarch, 


THE    CAREER   OF    o'reILLY. 


285 


who  was  well  known  for  the  persevering  and  cxtraordi- 
nary  ^^mUUuh  which  he  jilwavs  cherished  for  all 
services  rendered  to  his  person.  Although  O'Reilly,  as 
a  loreio-nor,  had  excited  nntipathies  and  jealousies, 
winch  threw  many  inipediinenls  in  his  way,  yet  his 
merits  could  not  hut  he  ackiiouh-dged,  and  it  was 
admitted  that  the  Spa.usli  armies  were  iiidehted  to  him 
tor  many  useful  reforms  and  marked  improvements. 
lie  was  made  a  Count,  and  his  hreast  .dittered  with 
military  decorations. 

In   1771,  he  was  given  the  command  of  the  ^rreat 
expedition,  which  Spain  undertook  ngainst  Alai(>rstnnJ 
which  was  composed  of  forty  ships  of  the  Ihie,  three 
nmdredand  fifty  transports,  and  thirty  thousand  men: 
but  this   immense  convoy  did  not  ari-ive  in  time;  and 
U  Kcilly  not   receiving,    when    wanted,   the   flat  boats 
which  had  been  prepared  to   facilitate  a  simultaneous 
landing  of  the  whole    of  his  forces,  and  after  having 
waited  hiteen  days,  in  daily  danger  of  running  his  ves"- 
sels  aground,  was  obliged  to  resort  to  a  partial  landincr 
of  his  troops,  and  j)ut  out  a  body  of  ten  thousand  iihmk 
commanded   by    the    Mnnpiis  of  La  Romana.      This 
corps  had  been  ordered   so  to  establish  itself  on  the 
shore,  as  to  protect  the  landing  of  the  rest  of  the  army, 
liu    La  Uomana,  carried  away  l,y  his  own  imj.etuosity 
and  by  that  of  his  men,  pursued  the  vanguard  of  the 
enemy  to  a  point  in  the  interior,  where  he  had  to  con- 
tend  with  v(«ry  superior  mimhers,  intrenched  behind  fio- 
trees  and  hedges  of  nopals.    The  Spanish  troops  fou<rirt 
with  undaunt<Hl  courage,  and  lost  four  thousand  men 
with  their  chief  La  Uomana.      During  that  tinu",  the 
rest  of  the  army  was  landing;  but  this  first  check  had 
demoralized  the  troops;  the  reluctance  which  they  had 
to  serve  under  a  foreigner,  was  fast  ripening  into  a  spirit 
of  sedition  j  it  was  maliciously  circulated  that  O'Reilly 


286 


THE    CAREER    OF    o'rEILLY. 


!i  4, 


hud  sacrificcMl  La  Roiiiana,  of  whom  ho  was  said  to  be 
jealous  ;  and  he  discovered  thiit  lie  no  longer  had  at  his 
command    the    [)roj)er    elements    to    secure    success. 
Under  these  circumstnnces,   he   found  it  necessary  to 
return   to  his  ships,  and  he  went  back  to  Spain  with 
much  grief  at  the  frustration  of  his  hopes.      His  only 
consolation  was,  that  the  j)lan  of  attack  he  had  con- 
ceived, was  approved  by  all  the  judges  of  military  art, 
and   that   the    bravery    he    had    displayed    was   much 
admired.     1  lis  enemies  themselves  admitted,  that  he  had 
shown  himself  wherever  there  was  most  danger,  during 
the  engagement  with  the  AIg(>rines,  that  he  had  exposed 
his  person  with  the  utmost  recklessness,  and  that  the 
horse  he  mounted  had    received   two  wounds.      The 
unfortunate   result    of    this    expedition    lowered    him, 
however,  in  the  estimation  of  tlie  Spanish  nation;  but 
the  King  remained  true  to  him  and  put  him  at  the  head 
of  a  military  school,  lately  established.      He  was  after- 
wards appointed  Commander-general  of  the  province  of 
Andalusia  and  governor  of  Cadix,  Avhere  he  exhibited  all 
the  talents  of  a  great  administrator.      f3ut,  at  the  death 
of  Chiirles  III.,  in  I)ecend)er,  1788,  he  fell  into  com- 
plete disfavor,  and  lived  in  absolute  retirement  in  the 
province  of  Catalonia.      His  name  had,  nevertheless, 
retained  considerable  influence  in  the  Spanish  armies ; 
and,  after  the  death  of  Ceneral  Ricardos,  in  1794,  he  was 
thought  to  be  the  most  skilful  general  to  be  opposed  to 
the  French.     He  was  therefore  appointed  to  tlie  com- 
mand of  the  army  of  the  Eiist  Pyrenees,  and  he  was  on 
his  way  to  his  destination,  when  he  died  suddenly  at  an 
advanced  age.      His   descendants   now  reside    in    the 
island  of  Cuba.     "  CJeneral  O'Reilly,"  says  Michaud  in 
his  biographical   sketch  of  that  officer,  "  had  always 
been  an  object  of  malignant  envy,  and  had  many  ene- 
mies, whom  the  flexibility  of  his  temper  and  the  soft 


I(ll^' 


MESSAGE  FROM   o'uEILLY    TO    AUBRV. 


287 


influoncc  ol  his  conciliating  manners  could  not  reconcile 
to  Ins  advancement,  in  a  nation  proverbially  proud  and 
suspicious  of  foreigners." 

It  was,  as  I  said,  on  the  morning  of  the  2hh  of  July 
that  the  inhabitants  of  New  Orleans  were  informal  of 
the  arrival  of  O'Reilly  at  the  Balize.     In  the  evening 
there  came  the  intelligence  that  a  Spanish  officer,  bear- 
ing  despatches  from  O'Reilly  to  Aubry,  was  ascending 
the  river.      There  was,  on  that  night,  no  thought  of  sleep 
for  the  greater  part  of  the  population,  and  they  were 
seen  clustering  in  groups  in  the  streets,  or  hurryincT 
from  house  to  house.     At  about  ten  o'clock,  Loyohr 
Gayarrc,  and  Navarro,  preceded  by  torches  and  fol-' 
lowed  by  their  subordinates,  friends,  and  adherents,  were 
observed  traversing  the  town,  and  moving  towards  the 
landing  place.     At  eleven,  the  Spanish  envoy,  whose 
name  was  Trancisco  Bouligny,  arrived  in  front  of  the 
public  square,  and,  leaping  ashore,  was  greeted  by  his 
countrymen,  to  whom  he  was  a  token  of  speedy  relief 
Passing  through  the  large  and  anxious  crowd  that  had 
gathered  round  them  in  silence,  the  Spanish  officers 
went  to  the  house  of  the  French  go^ernor,   who  had 
retired  to  bed.      He  was  immediately  waked  up,  accor- 
ding  to  the    instructions   which   he   had   left,   and  he 
received  with  much  affability  O'Reilly's  messenger,  who 
delivered  to  linn  the  letter  of  which  he  had  charge 
Aubry  read  it  twice  over,  but,  on  his  not  beincx  able  fully 
to  understand  its  meaning,  Rouligny  proposed  to  trans- 
k  c   ,t    and  his   ofTer   was   accepted.      In   this   letter 
ORcilly  mformed  Aubry  of  the  object  of  his  mission, 
and   requested   the  French   governor  to   take  all  the 
necessary    measures,     to     fliclitate     the    transfer    of 
Louisiana  from  France  to  Spain,  and  the  execution  of 
the   designs   of   their    respecuve    sovereigns.       "  Tell 
General  O'Reilly,"  said  Aubry  to  Boulignyin  answer  to 


■i  I 


•^ss 


AMiiiv's  siM:i;rii  to   riii:  i»i:ori.i;. 


tliis  (I('Sj);i((li,  "ihiit  I  ;mi  i-cimIv  ;i(  !iii\  lime  Io  <l('!iv(-r 
ii|»  lliis  |ir<)\iii«M<  It)  Ins  lArrllnicv,  niid  lli;il  should  llic 
(•••loiiisis  luiikc  lli(«  siiujiicsi  opposition  to  it,  I  iun 
ili'tninint  (I  to  [(tin  niv  lonts  to  Ins,  to  |)niiisli  tlir  inso- 
lence of  tli»>  rriiels." 

On    tli.>    'j;)tli,     noniionv,     (l.-iy.'iiTe.     \;iv;iito,     nnd 

l.i»vol;i  (Inicd  ;it    Anlnx's,  willi  the  hiulu-sl    ninono    llic 

(•i\il   inillioriiics    jind    the  most    inllnentiid    .-Mnoni,'   tin- 

I'rench  oHleers  ;ind  colctnists.     The  p.ist  seemed  to  h;ive 

l"'en  Hn-iiolten,  the  dnnier  n;is  \rr\   o;,y,  :in<l  towjirds 

ils  close,  Anhrv  iiddressini;-  Uoidi-iny  ;ind  looking  round 

the  li.Me,  expressed  to  him,  \\ith  niMrked  emph;isis,  his 

sjitisliiction   that    lh(>   peo|>le   /i,i(/   at   htsl   iistnicil  In  llie 

coiinsils  of   priiildirr,  mitl  litnl  htkrn   l/ir   on/i/   irso/iifinii 

ir/iich  could  sore  llw  roloiii/  from  complete  des/niedo/i.      In 

the  (>\enini:,    Houliiiny   and   the  other   Spanish   ollicers 

I)ronienad«>(l  ihrouuh  tJu-  stri>ets  ol'  the  town,  and  wcvc 

irreeled    («\er_v\\  lu-ri>    with    cordiality,    and    evi-n    with 

api>arenl  demonstrations  ol' joy.      On  the  next  dav,  the 

-(illi.  at  nine  of  the  mornin«j:,  Auhry  addressed  in  llies(« 

NNords  the  p(M>p|(«,  whom  h(>  had  summoned  to  meet  on 

tile   i)nhlic   s.pian^ :    "I    hav(>  to  announce  to  you   that 

Mr.   D'   OMuMJiy   is  now    in   th«>   ri\(>r,  at    the   iiead   <»i" 

s«'veral  reoimenis  that  hav(«  conu>  with  him  Ironi  Spain. 

Me  is  s(-nt  to  take  |)ossession  of  [-onisiana,  in  the  name 

of  the  Kinn  ol'  Spain,  by  virtiu-  oC  th(>  sacr(<(l  ord(«rs  of 

their  most  Christian  and  Catholic  Majesties,  and  li(«  will 

presiMit   m(>  \\\\\\   his  credentials,   at  our  lirst  m(>etniif. 

\on  can    jndov  of  tli(>  d(\orr(>  of  irritation  which   the 

Kino-  of  Spain  nmst  I'eel,  from  his  sendiui.-  lo  this  distant 

country   a   (u^iUM-al    of   such    «rn.at    distinction.       It  is 

lher(>lore  prudi'nt   lor  you  to  open  your  (>xes  on  your 

Jiast  conduct,  and  to  prevent  your  own  ruin  and  thiil  of 

yonr  native  or  adopt(>(l  country.      'N  on  must  he  avvaro 

lluit  nothino-  short   of  a  promj)t  and  entin*  suhimssion, 


I 


l>HI'I.T*rillN    KIKIII   T,,,,  ,,,.,.  .,.>,!» 

'""  ",""■  "•■■"■''  "»■  'I n»liM-h„„.»  will,  «l,i,.|,  v„„  „„, 

'7;::;;: , '  ""';|-  """•  "• ""- '"■""■  —-"'"■ 

I  >.m  nil,.    „„  ,■,.„,»,„„.■,.,  (.u,,.,-,,!  (.-((.HIv  «,llin.„ 

>'""'",":'''{•    "'" '.Vn„„,||,„„    |,„,|„,,,J,' 

"""«  '"'I  '"I ' -Inn v  , I,,,,  „ 

;"'""'■' "y  ""■'■!"« "i„i  („  r,„.iM.„r  ihM,,  („i<„ 

■  ,  r  ^'"■i';"''  >< ' ""<iv  II,.  M ii„„„iv,,i  „,„ 

""■"fnihl.y,  „i„l  n.|„rr„.,l  |„  his  |,„„«,, 

'    .l,rv.  „„,|  ,„(,„,,„.,|  I „„„,  l,„vi„.  n,||  ,.„„li,|,„  ,.     , 

A"l.r,vlav.„.,.,i,|„,„„,„|,  „   ,„ •  ,o  l,i„  |L.|l,.r, 'v 

""V"  '';: 'i.i's "f .i...r ,,i„,„„, „„.,i,„  J  , 

",''T"I","""- I"l'l    1"".    (Il.,til    w„s,|„.     „; 

' 'I  7^    '<'  "'"M  ink...     ()„  tl„„  ,l„v,  ,1,.  s,,„   i  h 

r,.,. M„.,-o,  Mnr,p„H,  Mill,,,,,  ,|„.  l,„H„,i.  ,„„„„,  ,„„   , 
I'""'  'V"  ,r,v  ..,„,  ,1„.  ,„„.,  ,„     i|„,  o.|(,.i||y.«  vj!| 

A  tc    louy  ,.„„■«•  „av,„,.ti„„,  1),,,,  |.Vm,c,s,.„  ll„„|i„„y 
■«-"cl,c<l  the   li„l,„.,an<l  ,,r,.so„tc.l  l.dWmi.Vc  ,.„,ll,i^ 

I'J 


2')0 


ADDKIINN    OF    I.AI'KKNI  KKi: 


il%- 


(•<>iii|tiimoiis  to  O'Ueilly.  who  n<c«Mvr«l  tlicm  in  stiifc,  nw 
the  (l»«ck  of  llir   !l;i<.r  sliip,  uliirli   was   crowilcd  with   n 
liosl  ofolliiMM-s,  who  had  roi.i(<  from  (he  other  vessels  to 
wiliU'MS  the  s<riu>.      (.alVeiiierewas  to  he  the  spokesman 
of  his  party,  hut,  when  iiitro(hir;»l  to   the   presi'iice  of 
O'Keilly,  heleh  one  of  those  siul<leii  emotions,  Croniwhieh 
the  boldest  heart   is  not   Tree,  on  occasions  of  pecidiar 
Holennnty,  and  his  powers  of  speech  failed  hini  for  a 
moment  ;    hnt  encoiira<red,  however,  hv  lh«'  h«'ni<fnaiit 
expression  which  he  <>hs(>rved  in  ()'U«'illy's  face,  he'^soon 
ralh«'d,an«l, in  a  somewhat  faherin«jr  voic(>,dehvered the fol- 
li)winir  ad(h-(>ss,  wliich  O'Keilly  onh'red  |{ouli<>iiy  to  tak(> 
down:  "  i:.\C(<llenc\,  Mr.  iVlan|nis,  an  ex-captain  of  a 
Swiss  company,  Mr   Milh(<t,  a  lient«'nant  of  militia  anit 
a  merchant,  and  I,  liafreiiiere,  a  |)lanter,  and  the  Kin<r\s 
utlorney  •^^•neral,  hav««  l)een  chos(Mi  as  dele^rj,tcs  l»y  tlu^ 
inhal)itants  of   Louisiana,  and   r<'(|nest(>(l   to  come  and 
assure  your  Ivxcellency  of  their  suhmission  to  the  orders 
of  their  Catholic  and  most  Christian   Majesties,  and  of 
their    veneration    (or    the  virtues    and   military   tal(>nts 
which   have   raised  you   to  tlu>  eminent  di^'uities  with 
which  you  are  clothed.     We  are  inslruct(>d  to  «'xpress 
to  you  the  profound  respect  of  the  colony  for  his  Catho- 
lie  Majesty,  and  its  love  for  his  most  Christian  Majt'sty, 
and  for  all  the  au^Mist  house  of  Hourl)on.     The  colony 
never   had  tlu'  intention  to  be  wantinjr  iu  the  profound 
respect  which  it  cherishes  for  the  <rreat  monarch  whom 
you  represent.     T\w  harshness  of  Mr.  Ulloa'a  temper, 
and  the  sul)V(>rsion  of  the  privihjres  jruarantied  by  the 
act  of  cession,  were  the  oidy  causes  of  the  revolution 
which  took  place  in  the  colony.     We  betr  your  J''.xcel- 
Icncy  not  to  consider  L»)uisiana  as  a  concjucred  country. 
Tlie  orders  of  which  you  are  the /oarer,  an;  sufficient 
to  put  you  ill  possession  of  this  i)rovince,  and  they  make 
a  greater  impression  on  our  hearts,  than  ihe  arms  which 


"'iimi.i.v's  iim-iv. 


3»I 


ynu  curry  w„l,  .yo,,.     Tl„.  I',-,.,,,-!,  ,„v  ,ln,-il,,,u„l  ,„■,•„,. 
".■-■ry.,„,.,li»,.„..,l,„yi.,|,,,,,,,-.,|i,,,,,  ,,,,!,,,' 

r"l;".-..Mlu.«n,,,,,.r,,r,vii,,.,..,,,,,,l(V,,n,y„J i    : 

cllooHr  to  <'iiii;,'nile."  ■' 

:" "'""■""|.li"«  t n,(„r,„n.l„i „  '  «        "  ,  i 

•  ■" Nwni.y  n.,,„„.,.,l.     ".■tl,n,mHwor,.,l:"(i,.„ll,.,n,. 

'^^c      l„,rc,„l„.,.o,,,,M,c,|,,,,inl,.,l„i,lM|„...v|,„|,.,,,„ 
"•  J.-.I  l..r  yo„r  .,„»,i|i,.„i„„.     Y„„   ,„„v  ,-,.„.  „,,„,; 

^t,        '"'" ^ '"•"'■'• -li^" f.,m,u,r.;Z 

«  ".     s,.rv„.,..   ,„   ,1,.  „„is,H,  „n,l  tl„„  ,„y.loi„,,      ,; 

■'" ;"« I  m..y  possii.iy  .ii,|,„.,.  or,  ,„  .,,„l,i„  ,„„  ,„  ;; 

1;': " ,;  :,';:,7; ■',''  --'^ •  -"'  -"...•......,  .,:i  1 

•lie   11,   m.,|  lo  „,y  ,.,|u,n,cl,.r.     I  son  will,  ,,lo,.,»„r,.  ,|io 

yo,,  ,„„y  „.„  ,„  ,.,,„„,.,,„,  t,,„,  ,  „„„|,|  ,„„;;  -| 

I'  H    ..,  I  wo„l.l  |,,,v..  ailo,v..<l  „o..o„..i.|,.,,„i,  nf  ,r  :  ; 
-"-  I"  my  ccrao.     S„cl,  „„s  ,„y  rc,ol,„i„„,  „,„i  i ,', '..'.ij 

•  n»n  AI,.„„„lr„  ()'H,.i||,  „,.„,l„-„,.,„  „„,„„„  ,i„  i„,,r„,i„„i, „„  ,.,       • 

v>««:  »ZlT.i:,f:';;;:;,,t''r "■" "" "■ -" "  '■■" 


292 


CLOSK    OF    THE    INTERVIEW. 


i 


have  ascended  the  river  as  high  as  tlie  Ilhnois,  it  neces- 
sary. Men,  when  in  a  state  of  frenzy,  do  not  rellect, 
and  cannot  see  the  consequences  of  their  actions.  If  it 
were  not  so,  how  could  a  handful  of  jxiople,  Hkc  you, 
have  imagined  themselves  capable  of  resisting  one  oi 
the  most  |)owerful  sovereigns  of  Europe  ?  Ilow  could 
you  think  that  the  most  Christian  King,  bound  to  the 
king  my  master,  by  the  tics  of  blood  and  by  those  of 
the  closest  friendship,  could  ever  have  assisted  you,  and 
lent  a  willing  ear  to  the  clamors  of  a  seditious  people  ?" 

Here,  Manjuis  interrupted  the  General,  to  object  to 
the  application  of  the  wo»-d  seditions,  and  to  give  some 
reasons;  in  explanation  of  the  course  })ursued  by  the  colo- 
nists. The  Gcnerf.'  answered  with  gentle  condescen- 
sion :  "  13e  at  ease  ;*  I  have  already  told  you,  gentlemen, 
that  I  will  listen  with  pleasure  to  your  arguments,  when 
the  time  shall  come.  God  be  })raised,  I  am  free  from  all 
prejudices,  and  I  am  aware  that  things,  which  from  afar 
may  look  as  if  they  were  clothed  with  the  dark  hue  of 
guilt,  may,  at  a  shorter  distance,  appear  decked  in  the 
white  robes  of  innocence." 

The  General  detained  them  to  dine  with  him,  treated 
them  with  the  most  delicate  politeness,  with  the  utmost 
suavity  of  manner,  and  sent  them  back,  says  Bouligny, 
one  of  the  persons  present  at  the  interview,  /////  of  ad- 
miration for  his  talents^  and  with  ^ood  hopes  that  their  past 
faults  should  he  forgotten. 

O'Reilly,  in  order  to  have  proper  quarters  prepared 
for  his  troops,  sent  back  Bouligny  to  New  Orleans,  with 
two  other  officers  named  Karbonary  and  Bordenave. 

On  the  ib\\\  of  August,  Aubrv  went  down  the  river,  to 


*  El  Genera)  le  respondio  ocn  dtilzura— Yii  Iio  dioho  ii  Vs,  Sonorcs,  que  {i  un 
tienipo  esi'iu'liarc  eon  guato  las  razones  dc  Vs.  A  Dios  graeias,  cstoy  libro  do 
Iireoeupaoiones,  y  no  ignore  que  niuelias  voces  las  cosas  que  pnrcceu  ncgras 
desdo  lejos,  suelen  verso  blancas,  cjuando  nno  se  aprocsima. 


LANDING    OF    THE    SPANIAKDS. 


29.*] 


offer  his  respects  to  O'Reilly,  who  was  on  his  way  up, 
mid  to  come  to  an  understanding  with  him,  as  to  the  man- 
ner  vm\  time  of  taking  possession  of  the  colony.  (),. 
consultafon,  they  fixed  the  iSth  for  that  ceremony.  On 
tlio  Gth,  Aubry  returned  to  New  Orleans,  and  issued  a 
proclamation,  enjoining  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  and 
the  most  respectable  among  those  of  the  neighborin.r 
country  o  be  at  the  a.^ust  ceremony,  and  to  he  ready  Po 
nrese,^    themselves    to    hi,    E.celienc,,,    Bon    AleJdro 

and  of  he,r  mmolahle  fdehty  to  his  Catho/ie  Majestu.     On 
he  17th,  in  the  morning,  the  whole  Spanish  ileet   num- 
bermg  twenty-four  sails,  appeared  in  front  of  New  Or- 
loans,     rmmed.ately  all  the  necessary  preparations  were 
made  for  land.i.g,  and  flying  bridges  were  dropped  from 
the  vessels  to  ti.e  bank  of  the  river.     On  the  1 8th,  early 
m  tlie  day,  the  French  governor,  with  a  numero,.;  train 
ot  officers,  came  to  compliment  the  new  governor,  who 
went  ashore  m  company  with  his  visiters,  and  proceeded 
With  them  to  the  house  which  was  destined  for  him. 
But  before  12  o'clock,  O'Reilly  ret.nned  to  his  fleet   in 
forces*''  P'^f^^"'^  ^'"'-  *»'«  landing  of  the  whole  of 'his 

At  5  o'clock,  in  the  afternoon,  a  gun  fired  by  the  flacr 
^np  gave  the  signal  for  the  landing  of  the  Spaniard^ 
The  French  troops  and  the  militia  of  the  colony,  with 
Aubry  at  thc.r  head,  were  already  drawn  up  in  a  line 
parallel  to  the  river,  and  in  front  of  the  ships,  in  that' 
p^iit  of  the  pubhc  square  which  is  nearest  to  the  church 
On  the  signal   being  beard,  the   Spanish  troops  were 
seen   pouring   out  of  the  fleet  in   solid   columns,  and 
moving,  with  admirable  precision,  to  the  points  which 
had  been  designated  to  them.     These  troops,  numbering 
j-OOO  men,  were  among  the  choicest  of  Spain,  and  had 
been  picked  by  O'Reilly  himself.     With       ' 


)lors  fly 


nil 


294 


LAXliING   OF    THE    TROOPS. 


and  with  the  rapidity  of  motion  of  the  most  practised 
veterans,  thi«y  marched  on,  battalions  after  battahons, 
exciting  the  a(hniration  and  the  awe  of  the  j)oi)uhition 
by  their  martial  as[)ect  and  their  brilliant  equipments. 
The  heavy  infantry  drew  themselves  up  in  j)erpendicu- 
lars,  on  the  right  and  left  wings  of  the  French,  thus  form- 
ing three  sides  of  a  S(iuare.     Then  came  a  heavy  train 
ofartillery  of  fifty  guns,  the  light  infantry,  and  the  com- 
panies of  mountain  riflemen,  (fusileros  de  monlaiias,) 
witl«  t!ie  cavalry,  which  was  composed  of  forty  dragoons, 
and  fifty  mounted  militia  men  from  Havana.     Airthesc 
corps  occupied  the  fourth  side  of  the  square  near  the 
river,  and  in  front  of  the  French,  who  were  drawn  up 
near  the  cathedral.     All   the  vessels  were  dressed  in 
their  colors,  and  their  riggings  were  alive  with  the  Span- 
ish sailors  in  their  holiday  apparel.     On  a  sudden,  they 
gave  five  long  and  loud  shouts  of:   Viva  d  Rcy—Lon<>- 
live  the  KiniT,  to  which  the  troops,  on  the  square,  re^- 
sponded  in  a  similar  manner.     All  the  bells  of  the  town 
pealed  merrily ;  a  simultaneous  discharge  from  the  guns 
of  the  twenty-four  Spanish  vessels  enveloped  the  river 
in  smoke ;    with  emulous   rapidity,   the  fifty  guns  that 
were  on  the  square  roared  out  their  salute,  making  the 
ground  tremble  as    if  convulsed  with  an  earth(nmkc ; 
and  all  along  the  dark  lines  of  the  Spanish   inlimtry, 
flashed  a  sheet  of  fire,  as  the  weaker  voice  of  musketry, 
also  shouting  in  jubilation,  attempted  to  vie  with   the 
thunder  of  artillery.    All  this  pomj)  and  circumstance  of 
war  announced  that  General  O'Reilly  was  landing. 

He  soon  appeared  in  die  s(iuare,  where  he  was  re- 
ceived with  all  the  honors  due  to  a  captain  general, 
drums  beating,  banners  waving,  and  all  sorts  of  nmsica! 
instruments  straining  their  brazen  throats,  and  by  their 
wild  and  soul  stirring  sounds,  causing  the  heart  to  leap 
and  the  blood  to  run  electrically  through  the  hot  veins. 


RECEPTION    Of    O'REILLY. 


295 


He  was  pro<;,odcd  by  s,,l<  .ulidly  accoutred  men,  who 
bo  c  heavy  «.  ver  nmces ;  and  the  whole  of  his  retinue, 
which  was  of  the  most  Mn,,osing  cha  .cter,  was  well 
calculated  to  stnke  the  i.ua«iuation  of  the  people.    With 
a  shghtly  ha  t.n.  ^.ait  he  advaucecl  towards  the  l^Vench 
governor,  who  with  the  members  of  the  Council  and 
.1    the  men  of  note  m  the  colony,  stood  near  a  mast 
Inch  suppored  the.  11a.  of  France.     Immediately  be- 
nnd  O'l  edly  followed  the  officers  of  the  coloni^U  ad- 
.nm.strat.on    of    Louisiana,    Don   Joseph  Loyola,  the 
conmnssary  of  war  and  intendant;  Don  Estevan  (ia;arre 
the  contador,  or  royal  comptroller  ;  and  Martin  NaVarro,' 
the  treasurer,  who  were  to  be  restored  to  their  rest.ective 
functions,  which  had  boen  interrupted  by  the  revilution. 
S.r,    saul  O'K.dly  to  Aubry,"!  have  already  com- 
"um.cated  to  you  the  orders  and  the  credentials  with 
which  1  am  i,rov.ded,  to  tak(.  possession  of  this  colony, 
m  the  name  o    his  Catholic  Majesty,  and,  also,  the  in- 
stiuctions  of  his  most  Christian   Majesty,  that   it   be 
col.vered  up  to  me.     I  be.  you  to  read  them  aloud  to 
the  peop  e."     Aubry  complied  with  this  request,  and 
tnen,  addressm.  the  colonists  by  whom  he  was  sur- 
rounded,  saul  :  "  (ientlemen,  you  have   just  heard  the 
sacred  orders   of    their   most   Christian"  and  Catholic 
Majesties,  m  relation  to  tlu,  province,  of  Louisiana,  winch 
=s  irrevocably  ceded  to  the  crown  of  Spain.     From  this 
moinent,  you  are  the  subjects  of  his  Catholic  Majesty 
.'tml  by  virtue  of  the  orders  of  the  Kin.,  my  master,  I 
absolve  you  from  your  oath  of  fidelity  and  obedi.mce  to 
his  most  Christian  Majesty."     'J'h(.,.  turnin.  to  O'Reilly, 
Aubry  handed  to  him  the  keys  of  the  ^.ites  of  the  town! 
The  banner  of  I  ranee  sunk  from  the  \mn\  of  the  must 
where  it  waved,  aiul  was  replaced  by  that  of  Spain.* 

*  Los  Franceses,  diri-ridos  por  su  Gobemador,  dieron  cinco  v.ces :  Viva  el 


•>t» 


i'oll 


THi;  t  i.(»siN«j   <  i:iti;>ioMi:s. 


•  Mviiiij  il„.   ,»\;,in|>lr   iiihI   ||n<   ordcis   of  Aiihrv,  (In 
I   uiis    n'|t<<iil<Ml    \\nvv    JiiiK's   l»v    tli( 


l/ir    f\iin>  !      \\  liicl 


iniiu  III  iiiiisuii 


S|t!misli  n»>»)|)s.  who  nM-oinmnirrd  lli(>ir  ( 
'^Mih  ||k<  lln<l. 

'riini  Olinllv.  (<.|I<)u,mI   h\   (h,.   |.nn(i|..il  Spjiiiish  of- 

liccrs.  iiiid  !uc.»in|.imi(-.l  Im    Anl)iv  luid  Ins  nMimic,  pro- 

«»'r«l.'d    lo   111,'   rallirdnd.  w  liciv  ii(<  uns  n-,ri\.Ml  nl  lli<> 

llnvsludd  l.v  iIh-  flrri-v.  \mIIi  all  I  w  Ihmiois  of  ih,.  Pj,!. 

Iii'i'i  i    iiiid    mill    iii<>    «>ili,'r    iisiiid    s(»l»'iniiili(«s.|      'rii(> 

♦  iiriilt .  or  \  M-nr  lM«ii('i;d,  in  ||i<<  nMnic  iiiid  on  Ix'luiir,.! 

llH'|M<o|d,'.!i.ldivss,.dlo||i,.  (M-ncn.la  |.i.llM-lic  haranon,., 

«M)n|d«Ml  mill  llu'  inosi  caivssino  |)|olrslalioiis  oi  lidrlilv 

on  Ins  |.ai-1.     Tli,-  (;,<n(-ial   ansMcn-d  will 

«|iiriui  .  tl«««-laniii;   Ins   rradini«ss  lo   |M-ol«-f|    n-liojon,  I 

ransc  ill,'  iniiiisl,'rs  ,)rili,'  sanclnarv  lo  li 


I   <'on,is,'   ,'|o. 


o 


>ii|>|>orl    111,'   anllionU  oflli,'  K 


r  r«'sn,>,|,>d,  |,> 
iiii;  and  llic  honor  ,»r  his 


arin,'^ 


'>  ,l,'\o 


Ir    lnins,'ir  |o   ih,.   pnhli,-  i-,,,,,!,  and  lo  ,1, 


.l"^'"'"    <•'   -'ill-      ll»>    llwn   ,'nl,-r,',|    |||,<    ,|iiiirli,  w| 


r,- 1> 

(I. el 


icrc  a 


cinn  was  sniio.  dnrniii  w  huh   ihf   Iroops   and    ih 


renew,',! 


li 


icn-  (lisriiarixes  in  lok,'ns  of  n-joicin. 


'i<"n    Ih,'    pioiis    c'n'inoiiN   was    ov,'r,   O'Keillv    an,l 


A 

ish  Iroivps  lilcd  ,)il"  l),'|on'  ih,.  o,>\,.|-| 
ifi)iihtn/i'    oi 


iihi\  ivlnrii,',!  lo  ihe  piihiic  s,inarr.  w  h,-r,' all  llic  S[ 


Min- 


(Irr  and  ti/rii),inr,  sa\s  Anl 


(irs|)aleli,'s.  muj,   atl(  .   I 


lors,  ///   (fit-  iiiDsf  n- 
n\  III   one   oC  his 


tl 


liiMiio   saliiled    Ihein,  relired    lo 


H'lr  n's|>,',-ii\e  ,|iiarl,'rs. 


n  .•;  ar^ 


|)alel 


1   ni  wliieli.  s,»in,'   tune   aller   llie   laKin< 


lM>ss,'ssionotili,',„,i,i|,v  hv  Ih,-  Spaniards,  h,-  ivn.h'i-ed 


t»)  one  or  ihe  I'reiuh  nui 


iisiers  an  aeeoinil  oClhe  ,'\,'iih 


}\i'\  '     Niiotni  1n.|,;i    1,,   oj.viil.i   (r.^s   v, 

mmuo  ti.-mi...  .jn,.  In  njiha  .1,   1,.,  iv,.!,r,ii.i  .•,-MiMn.l;iti(, 


'<•'■<  iMii  HUM   .li'sciiroM    "ijiiu';!. 


V  Ml 


A  Mill   <>('  rMiui|>\.  iiM.il  r  whii'li  llu'  CI 


IMSl'    of    till'     JMIl'llMlisI 


IH  CMnil'll    III 


|>iiii't'S'(i(insi. 

I  Kl  .MUM  ..  Vu-an,>  I'nn.'ipM!  hi/,,  m  S,  K.  „„m  Mivn.rM  i„iiv  ,,m1.  lira  ..n  n.Mul.n 
ili'l  I'lU'lilo.  y  oon  lii.s  iiuis  tii'iiiMs  i.ivU'stns  .lo  li.loJi.lM.I. 


M  IUIV'n     hlNI'AlrillN. 


!;:"'''   ^''^"'">'^    ■•"•'•-"'    -.    I .M,...,.,,    Anhrv    HMVM- 

"'•"•'•"ins|„nrrMMo,|r,,lnn,l.|r.  uMh.H.l    (r.HmM,  with- 
"<".rv,  u.lhonl    .vsonnvM,  uHl.uul    .MM.slnnr.,.,  Imv- 

'"\" '  ••''"'">"-^.    I    <l H.M ..nonl..';  


Ill 

OHI  II 
III-,  i, 
lll.'llo 


I '    "iiin  II     jilMI     IIH<     "rriil 

':T% ;  •■ "'^•'" ^'"  ."M.nl.^no, 

'''''•'•'  ''''--N-v,  II  u,.M  ii.n.ssMiv  ,o  n,.,ui,lMli,.|,,- 

•'''"'''<•-'-' -OS.  (•|.iis,.i.,iM,.j,.,i|,s,.lH..n„„,,,,,,,,,. 
'\<    '    "'^        ";'^    l<.    iMTisI,    Willi    ,|„.    (i.„    udin.rM    ,,,,,1 

"     ■"<'^'"l';"<-  <•<    <!..«  n-lM.|M  sl.oMl.l  ,lnv,.  , 

"    "^  '•"•";"'<-'   ••'".I    |H i.n.l,.,-    ,|h.    ,„<|,M,M.ns.l,|,. 

y'^'^'V    "I    .liiiir    1|„,,„    ,„    |,j,,,,,. 

"  Al    Ihr    \rrv    liioiiiriil   u  lirii    j|||    M,.,m,-.l    (,.    !>..    I 


V'    "'"•    ^'•'•V    "l.mirnl   uhrn    ;il|    MiM-MH-.l    (o    |„.    lom 

"■"^"'••"•■••'•'••'-••""l'">^.^'<«n<.r<Miir,,hiiiM.i,.M,n,i,hvl,r, 
Av<'wrn-   '•••'•r   I.Mi,.,  s,il,i,H.ri.,.,||,v, I,,  ,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,^, 

,     ''■•'. •'"'"'''•>  I-  n'|'.-sninM.,Hl|,y|„Mw,s,|om 

-,i,in,Mns,.,H,.v,.H,.|,|,s|inl<i...|...^  ,„     ,  ,  ' 

■^"■''•••''''''  •^'■•" <l'snnlri;M„lruiirnM„.n 

''Alh.rln.v.ii.  ,.v,H.n..,.n.,|    ,|„.   „h>s.   (.-ml.l,.  ah.n.iH 

;'""'  -"ll'«-t'""H,    in   ^roviMiMii.    .    rolniiv,  uliTli  I  srvrnil 

"...s   saw  on   .li,-vnyhnnk<irn„nai„h|,.sln,r|io,,„ 

l'='HlMvnniv.<HHlln<kJ,vll,,..M,.n.<.r(;o,|,,,>,||.|nV, 

", "    '''^   """^'"v    -lo   ,1...    I,,,,,,,   „,•,   <;,.,„.,.,,,     „^ 

; '''7' ••'■'""''•;; '^^'^'''•''' '•-'<'  ''-•n.m.ss  I,   ,MiMKvi,Ml,.|,,,.<| 

••••■•^<.aii,,.i|.,v.      l-<.'n.n,wi,l.,lH.,.n,,„„,.n<lii,.s,s 

'''<-•  "i-iwm-  any  lH.sin..H,o,n.,.s,.r.  will.  Inn,  li. 

",     ^"''   '''•'•^'•'''''■^'''i'^'«''-''«>Hnll.|,.,nw;,,,anis,wl.o, 

•■'"*"'■' '•"'>«l'--'",lMlirrs,,iHh|,s„nlrrM,M,.,.nlh.st(|„. 


298 


I.KTTKIl    FIKMl    o'ltlMM.V    TO    AlHUV 


restoration  of  poaco  niul  justice  in  the  coiiiitrv.  'J'lio 
thanks  wliicli  tlic  (u'iu>ral  was  |)I«'as(«(l  to  address  to  mo 
at  the  hea<l  ot"  my  troops,  and  in  prcscnee  of  the  whole 
p(>opl(>,  and  the  approbation  which  he  e\|)ress(Ml  ofmy 
coiuhict  <hn-in<r  all  thes(>  past  nnlorlinjate  occnrn  iicvs, 
are  to  mv  a  snre  plc(l<r»>  of  its  ohlainin^-  also  the  sanc- 
tion of  your  Ivxcellency." 

On  tlu>   l<)th,  the  day  t'ollowinir  the  ceremony  ol'tak- 
1,^  possession,  (VKeilly  jj;avc,  with  «!;rcat  |)onip,  a.  din 


m 


to  the  l-'n-nch  «rovernor,  the  S|)anish  md  l''rcnch  antl 
ifies,  and  all  th(>   p(>rsons  of  distinclion   in  iIk^  coIo 
In  tlu^  m(>an  tinn-,  with  his  cnslomarv  hahits  of  aclivit 


ner 
lor- 


'»y- 


ho  had  not.  aIlow(Ml  these  fe 


of  the  pres»>nt  day,  to  int(>rfere  with  th(>  I 


stivili(>s  of  th(>  precedinj^f  an<l 


)nsmess 


which 


h(>  had  on  hand,  and  h(>  had  proceeded  in  secret  lo  tal 


the  d 


ko 


epositions  ot  witnesses,  as  to  what  had  occnrred  in 
the  colony,  and  to  pernse  all  th(>  papers  and  docunuMits 

ir«'d  informations  on  th(>  snhject. 


whicli  ( 


onid 


•live 


thed 


esi 


On   th(>  very  day  he  thus   ent(>rtained  Ani 


of  the  chi(>ts  of  the 


)r^  .ind  somi* 


revolntioii,   he  addressed  to  that  of- 


hcer   the   followinjj  'lett(>r 


Sir,  as  von  witnessed  al 


that  occurred  in  this  colony,  wIumi  Don  Antonio  do 
Ulloa,  appointed  or<)v,.nior  ot"  the  same  by  his  (^itholic 
M 


Jjesty,  was  expc'lled  from  it,  1   he<r  yon  to  enlinht 


en 


o  make  me  accpiainlc^d  with  all  these 


nrnisli  nu;  wi 


th  tl 


10 


me  on  the  suhject,  t 
events  and  their  true  causes,  and  to  I 
names  of  the  p»>rsons  who  induced  the  peop|«>  to  com- 
mit th(>  olVtMice  of  presentinn-  thems(>lves  with  arjus  in 
their  hands,  to  (>nforce  the  violent  expulsion  of  Don  A 

le  sanu^  (\\c(>ss(>s  aiiainst 


n- 


tonio  d(>  nioa,  and  to  reiunv  ll 

all  the  Spanish  ollicers  and  troops  in  the  colonv, 


M 


As  (Governor  of  this  colonv  for  h 


is  most  Christian 


ijesty,  and  as  the  commander  of  the  l-'rench  troops, 
ized   Don  Antonio  dv   Tlloa  as  the  person 


yon  recoirn 


desiirnated  by  his  Catholic  Majesty  to  take,  in  his  royal 


I.KTTIMl    l'K.)M    «)'ki;ii,,,v    TO    AinutV. 


!.'!)() 


imino,  full  |)(>ss,..ssi„n  uiul  connuaiid  oClliis  cojonv.  Con- 
S('«|ii.«MMy,  y„u  ^r,,v(,  to  lJ||<,u  ,M)HS(.s.sion  onii,.  |^,|i/o 
juul  ol  (,f|uM-  posts,  a,n,l  tl.o  c.,n.|»lot(,  (•..ssioi,  u,,s  ,1,.^ 
'''••'•(Ml  ,»„lv  at  the  solicilalmn  oruij,,;,,  liimsHi;  until  tlio 
••mva  ol  ,|,e  Spanish  i;,,-,,.  which  !,<•  .■.xp,.cl,-<i,  a  proof 
**'  ••••"'xi.'i.co  on  yo.u-  pari,  which  was  i\uv.  to  the  clos,. 
union  cxistMi-r  hctwciMi  (he  twocrowns. 

"  It  is  oxpcdicMit  that  you  hav(>  lh(.  kindness  to  com- 
'""""•<"*'  »<>  •"« ,  HH  soon  as  possihlc,  all  that  yon  may 
kn<»w  m  .vlation  K,  sai<l  revolution,  without  oniitlin.r  tc) 
M"'>t«S  "(•'••ally,  all  the  orders,  protests,  and  puhli^  or 
secret  doeuin.M.ts,  to  which  you  n.ay  hav(.  had  re,-oiirse, 

duty,  th(!  duels  and  a^r,>„is  of  the  conspiracy. 

"It  IS  very  essential   that   I    should   know  who  is  the 
jHU-son  who  wrote,  printed  and  circulated  the  doc,in..-nt 
.avm.  l<,r  ,ts  title  :  J)arrr  of  ,/,■  Counri/,  ,latnl  Orlohn; 
I /(»H,  and  un(h«r  what  authority  this  was  done.     I  desire 
tlio  sa.ne  inlorination  with  re^r,,r<l  to  the  otiier  doc.uuent 
<^"t.tled:  J/c;m>;;„/  of  ,/,r  inhahilanis  of  Lo,mi,wa  on  the 
nrni  0/ the  mh  Orlolnr,    ITllH,  l.ecause  all  th,.  artich>s 
ol  said  (h)cmuents  claim  my  special  attention.     I  shall 
Putentn-o  laith  m  your   informations,  and  I  aoain  ix-r 
you  not  to  (umt  any  circumstance  ndalivo  to  men  and 
tlimos,  ui  what  coiuM'rns  said  revolution." 

On  the  20th,  without  losin^r  sioht  of  th,.  „I,j<.ct  of  his 
iuvesfiuations,()'|{,.illy  wcM.t  to  pay  a  formal  visit  to  tho 
"rei.ch  -ov(«rnor,  with  the  whol,.  hody  of  Spanish  of- 
licors.*  On  that  vc>ry  day,  Aul.rv  answ.Mvd  th(>  <-om- 
uuuucation  which  he  had  nreived  from  (rileilly,on  the 
luvcedm^.  o"*'-  Aul.ry's  hotter  is  a  very  lon^r  document; 
ui  winch  he  desijrnates  all  tho  chiefs  of  the  revolution 
and    rolat(<s    minut,>ly    their  r,«spective    shar(^s   in    that 

UI  ciu'ipo  lie  (itu'Mics  iiiu'stros, 


300 


AlfBRl's   ANSWER. 


event.    No  attorney  general  could  have  drawn  a  more 
precise  and  more  fatal  indictment.     He   concludes  in 
these  words  :  "  I  will  communicate  to  your  Excellency 
all  the  decrees,  memorials,  and  other  pieces  of  iniquity 
which  were  flihricated  in  those  times  of  disturbances 
and  disorders.     I  will  deliver  into  your  hands  all  the 
protests  which  I  made  against  such  injustices.     My  con- 
duct shall  be  laid  bare  before  the  most  equitable  and  the 
most  '^"'ightcned  of  judges.     His  apj)robation,  which  I 
dare  flatter  myself  to  deserve,  will  be  the  greatest  honor 
and  the  handsomest  reward  which  I  can  ever  receive." 
This  communication,  which  is  a  model  of  humility  and 
servility,  does  not  redound  to  the  credit  of  Aubry.     Far 
from   interceding   in   favor   of  his    unfortunate   fellow 
citizens,  far  from  endeavouring  to  palliate  their  guilt, 
which  he  could  have  done  without  deviating  from  truth, 
he  arraigns  them  w'th  bitter  asperity,  and,  certainly,  is 
answerable,  to  a  considerable  degree,  for  the  sheddin-: 
of  the  blood  of  those  he  had  accused  with  such  violence 
If  he  had   contented  himself  with  this  brief  answer : 
"  The  King  of  France,  my  master,  appointed  me  governor 
of  this  colony,  and  I  cannot  believe  that  the  King  of 
Spain  wishes  to  convert  me  into  a  common  informer," 
he,  perhaps,  would  have  stood  higher  in  the  estimation 
of  O'Reilly  himself,  and,  undoubtedly  at  least,  in  that  of 
posterity. 

On  receiving  Aubry's  communication,  O'Reilly's  mind 
was  inmiediatcly  made  up.  On  the  next  day,  the  21st, 
he  communicated  to  Aubry,  at  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  the  orders  of  his  catholic  majesty  to  arrest  and 
bring  to  trial,  in  accordance  with  the  laws,  the  chiefs  of 
the  revolution.  Aubry,  in  one  of  his  despatches,  says 
that  he  never  suspected  before  that  O'Reilly  had  been 
invested  with  any  such  powers.  The  Spanish  Governor, 
without  loss  of  time,  whilst  Aubry  was  with  him,  drew 


Um 


ARREST   OF    THE    INSURGENT    LEADERS. 


301 


,.  » 


to  his  house,  under  different  pretexts,  nine  of  tlie  lead- 
ers of  tlic  late  insurrection,  and  liad  three  others,  of  an 
inferior  rank,  arrested  in   the  town  hall.     They  were 
Nicolas  Chauvin  de  Lafreniere,  Jean  Baptiste  de  Noyan, 
Joseph  Villere   Pierre  Caresse,  Pierre  Marquis,  .Joseph 
Milhet,  Jean  Milhet,  Joseph  Petit,  Balthasar  de  Masan, 
Juhen  Jerome  Doucet,  Pierre  Poupet,  and  Hardy  de 
Boisblanc.     When  they  were  all   in  his  presence,  and 
Aubry  standing  by,  he  thus  addressed  them  :  "  Gentle 
men,  the  Spanish  nation  is  respected  and  venerated  all 
over  the  globe.     Louisiana  seems  to  be  the  only  coun- 
try which  IS  not  aware  of  it,  and  which  is  deficient 
in  the  respect  due  to  that  nation.     His  Catholic  Majesty 
IS  much  displeased  at  the  violence  which  was  lately  exer- 
cised in  this  province,  and   at  the  offence  which  was 
committed  against  his  governor,  his  officers  and   his 
troops.     He  has  been  irritated  by  the  writings  which 
have  been  printed,  and  which  revile  his  government  and 
the  Spanish  nation.     He  orders  me  to  have  arrested  and 
tried,  according  to  the  laws  of  the  kingdom,  the  authors 
01  these  excesses  and  of  all  these  deeds  of  violence  " 

After  having  read  to  them  the  orders  of  his  Catholic 
Majesty,  which  prescribed  to  him  the  course  he  was 
pursuing,  he  added  :  "  Gentlemen,  I  regret  to  say,  that 
you  are  accused  of  being  the  authors  of  the  late  insur- 
rcction.  I  therefore  arrest  you  in  the  King's  name 
My  earnest  wish  is,  that  you  may  prove  your  innocence! 
and  that  I  may  soon  set  you  free  again.  Here  arc  your 
judges  (pointing  to  some  officers  who  were  in  the  room) 
They  are  as  equitable  as  they  are  learned,  and  thev 
will  hsten  to  your  defence.*  The  only  part  which  I  shall 
take  in  the  trial  will  be,  to  favor  you  as  much  as  I  may 

*Dij6  quo  S.  E.  no  toniaria  otra  parte  en  esta  causa  (cuyos  juecos  estaban 
alli  presontes,  y  les  h,z6  ver),  que  la  que  fuese  conduc-onte  f.  fa  ee  o^^^^ 
que  (leseaba  que  todos  pudiesen  justificar,  plenamentc  su  conduct.  ^ 


;  j 


ao2 


AllUKST   or    THE    INSIROKNT    mADEUS. 


If  ji 


be  pnniiUcd.     In  llic  moan  tini<>,  all  your  pr()|)n-ty,  ac- 
cordin-r  to  the  cuHtoin  of  Spain,  with  r(><riinl  to  pri.son- 


){ 


shall 


state, 

assured  that  you  .shall  Ih>  treated  as  well  as  possible,  in 
the  places  where  you  shall  be  respectiv(>ly  contined. 
As  to  your  wives  and  children,  be  |)ersuaded  that  I 
shall  <rrant  them  all  the  assistance  of  which  they  may 
stand  in  need.  In  relation  to  the  scMpiestration  of  your 
estates  andelKects,  a  faithful  inventory  shall  be  made  of 
them,  and  I  invite  each  of  you  now  to  api)oint  whom  lie 
pleases,  to  be  presiMit  on  his  behalf,  at  that  inventory, 
and  every  person  so  ai)|)ointed  by  you  shall  also  counler- 
8i«rn  tlu^  inventory  of  your  j)apers.'' 

He  |)aused  for  an  ausw(>r ;  and  the  unfortunate  |)rison. 
ers,  alter  they  had  somewhat  recovered  Irom  the  lirat 
shock  tli(^y  had  felt  at  such  a  proeee{lin<r,  jrave,  aecord- 
in<r  to  (VUeilly's  invitation,  the  names  of  those  who  wore 
to  represent  thenj,  and  a  list  of  those  names  was  made 
on   the   spot.      "Now,   «rentlem(>n,"    resunu>d   O'lfeilly, 
"please  to  deliver  up  your  swords."     Whilst  this  scene 
was  actincr,  the  whole  house   had  been  surrounded   by 
troops,  and  the  rooms  had  been  tillinir  up  with  trivna- 
diers.     One  of  O'Reilly's  aids  received  the  swords  of 
the   i)risoners,  and   some   otHcers  of  trrenadiers  cour- 
teously taking,  one  the  ri<rht  and  the  other  the  h^ft  arm 
of  every  prisoner,  placed  them  between  two  companies 
of  <,n-ena(liers,  and  thus,  arm  in  arm,  conducted  them  to 
their  olaces  of  continement,  where  they  were  all  sej)a- 
rated  from  each  other.     Some  were  put  in  the  fri<ratc  in 
which  O'Reilly  had  come,  some  in  two  of  the  other  ves- 
sels, and   the   rest    in    a  well-<j;uarded   house.     It  was 
ordered  that  they  should  be  interrogated,  that  their  depo- 
sitions be  taken  down  in  writini'-,  and  that  they  be  allowed 
all  the  conveniences  they  mi<riit  want,  i)rovided  they  be 
not  permitted  to  communicate  with  each  other,  nor  with 


DFATII    OF    VILr.RUK. 


30.3 


any  body  oIho  On  rrndorin- m,  account  of  this  ovonl 
o  t^ho  l<r(.n(.h  Ministry,  Aul.ry  snid  :  "  1  Ik,v.  the  l.onor 
to  fonvard  to  you  a  list  of  tlu'  s.nnll  uun.her  of  those 
^yhou^  the  Gon.raUvas  in.hs,H.nsahly  ohii.c.i  t<.  have 
.in<.st<.( .  1  h.s  ,,rov(.H  his  <r,.n(.rosity  and  the  kinch.ess 
oi  Ins  heart,  cons.derin^r  that  there  are  many  others 
whose  enn,inal  eonch.ct  would  have  justified  th.-ir  hein<r 
treated  ni  the  same  manner."  '' 

With  regard  to  Viljore,  it  seems  that  he  had  heen  the 
onJy  one  who  Imd  |)r(>,,are(l  to  fiy  with  his  family  and 
negroes,  when  he  had  heard  of  the  arrival  of  th/ So-i 
niards.     If.s  plan  was  to  retire  to  Manclmc,  under    he 
protection  of  the  En^rjish  llacr.  JJut,  either  hein.r  (h.c(>iv.d 
as  some  say,  by  a  letter  from  Aubry,  who  pled^^.n.iu,' 
sell  for  h.s  safety,  or  believinnr,  wlum  he  was  informed 
of  the  kmd  reception  made  to  his  associates  in  th(>  late 
revolution,  that  it  was  not  the  intention  of  the  Spanish 
Government  to  act  with  ri<ror,  he  ^r.ave  up  his  ori.ri„',| 
desiau  and  came  to  town  from  the  (;erman  coast,  to"„re 
sent  himself  to  the  Gcmeral  and  ascertain  the  true  state 
of  thm^rs.     lie  was  one  of  those  who  were  confined  in 
the  fr.o-ate.     lUnu.  of  an  exceedin^rly  ^.iol,.„t  temper 
this  sudden   blastin^r  of  his  hopes  threw  him,*  as  the' 
Spanish  official  report  says,  into  such  a  fit  of  frenzy  that 
he  died  ravinjr  mad,  on  the  da^  of  his  arrest.     IJossu  in 
his  work  on  Louisiana,  gives  a  diflerent  version,  but 'he 
IS  so  fancihil  in  all  his  relations  of  pretended  facts  that 
.c  IS  hardly   to   be  believed.      Judge    Martin,  in   his 

u  i?7v-n  '^.'^"'''^"'^'  ^''''^'  '''  third  version,  and  says  : 
He  (Villere)  was  immediately  conveyed  on  board  of 
a  frigate  tliat  lay  at  the  levee.  On  hearing  of  this  his 
lady,  a  grand-daughter  of  De  Lachaise,  the  former  com- 
missary general  and  ordommteur,  hastened  to  the  city 
As  her  boat  approached  the  frigate  it  was  hailed  arid 
*  Murio  ill  1"  dia  do  bu  prision,  do  terror  y  enojo,  y  antes  perdio  el  juicio. 


m 


Jit.,  .„ . . 


mi 


DEATH    OF   VILLRRi: 


I  Pi 


ordorod  away.  Slic  made  herself  known,  and  solicited 
admission  to  her  Imshand,  hut  was  answered  she  cfudd 
not  see  him,  as  the  captain  was  on  shore  and  had  I 'ft 
orders  that  no  communication  should  he  allowed  with 
the  prisoner.  Villere  recognized  his  wife's  voice,  and 
insisted  on  heing  permitted  to  see  her.  On  this  heing 
refused,  a  struggle  ensued,  in  which  he  fell,  pierced  by 
the  bayonets  of  his  guards.  His  bloody  shirt  thrown 
into  the  boat  announced  to  the  lacly  that  she  had  ceased 
to  be  a  wife  ;  and  a  sailor  cut  the  rope  that  fastened 
the  boat  to  the  frigate."  This  atrocity  of  the  bloody 
shirt  is  not  probable.  It  is  not  mentioned  in  the  official 
French  despatches,  which  I  have  seen,  and  rests  only  on 
popular  tradition,  which  delights  in  tales  of  similar  ex- 
aggeration. It  has,  no  doubt,  l)een  preserved  and  handed 
down,  on  account  of  the  dramatic  efFcct  which  it  pro- 
duces, and  which  has  made  it  acceptable  to  the  imagina- 
tion. 

It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  terror  which  the  arrest 
of  these  men  and  the  death  of  Villere  scattered  far  and 
wide.  They  were  so  much  identified  with  the  whole 
population,  their  personal  friends  were  so  numerous, 
their  family  connections  so  extensive,  that  the  misfortune 
which  had  befallen  them  could  not  but  produce  a  general 
desolation.  Besides,  every  one  trembled  for  his  own 
life,  or  for  the  safety  of  others,  and  many,  in  secret, 
began  to  make  immediate  preparations  to  fly  to  the  Eng- 
lish. In  New  Orleans,  the  doors  of  the  majority  of  the 
houses  were  closed,  and  the  inhiibitants  deserted  the 
streets,  which  resounded  only  with  the  heavy  tramp  oi 
the  patrolling  Spaniards.  On  tlie  22d  of  August,  the 
day  following  the  arrest  of  Lafreniere  and  his  compji- 
nions,  O'Reiily,  in  order  to  dissipate  the  fears  which  agi- 
tated the  popub'io'),  had  this  proclamation  posted  up  at 
the  public  sqr; ,*•<•  nad  ?i  the  corner  of  every  street : 


I 


o'uEILLV'n    PIIOCLAMATIOX. 


305 


"L\    THE    NAME   OF    THE    KlAO, 

"Wo,  Alexander  O'Reilly,  Coi.mander  of  Renfayan 
in  the  order  of  Alcantara,  Major  (ioneral  and  Inspector 
General  of  the  armies  of  his  Catholic  Majesty,  Captain 
General  and  Governor  of  the  Province  of  Lonisiana  in 
virtue  of  h.s  Catholic  Majesty's  orders,  and  of  the  pow- 
crs  with  which  we  are  invested,  declare  to  all  the  inhabit- 
ants o^  the  Province  of  Louisiana,  that,  whatever  just 
cause  past  ovents  may  have  given  his  Majesty,  to  make 
thcui  feel  his  indignation,  yet  his  Majesty's  intention  is 
to  listen  only  to  the  inspirations  of  his  royal  clemency' 
because  he  is  persuaded  that  the  inhabitants  of  Loui-' 
siana  would  not  have  committed  the  offence  of  which 
they  are  guilty,  if  they  had  not  been  seduced  by  the 
mtrigues  of  some  ambitious,  fanatic,  and  evil-minded 
men,  who  had  the  temerity  to  make  a  criminal  use  of  the 
ignorance  and  excessive  credulity  of  their  fellow-citi- 
zens.    These  men  alone  will  answer  for  their  crimes 
and  will  be  judged  in  accordance  with  the  laws.  ' 

"  So  generous  an  act  on  the  part  of  his  Majesty  must 
be  a  pledge  to  him  that  his  new  subjects  will  endeavor, 
every  day  of  their  lives,  to  deserve,  by  their  fidelity] 
zeal  and  obedience,  the  pardon  and  protection  which' 
he  grants  them  from  this  moment."  This  proclama- 
tion made  more  than  one  breast  breathe  freely,  and 
diminished,  to  some  degree,  the  feeling  of  terror  which 
had  been   produced   by  the   events  of  the   preceding 

On  the  23d,  O'Reilly  issued  a  proclamation,  inviting 
the  inhabitants  of  the  town  and  its  vicinity  to  appear 
before  Iiim,  at  his  house,  on  the  26th,  at  seven  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  to  tiiko  their  solemn  oath  of  vassalage 
and  fealty  to  the  new  sovereign.  Those  of  the  inhabit- 
ants who  resided  in  distant  settlements  were  informed 
that,  on  certain  days  to  be  fixed  hereafter,  and  before 

20 


306 


ARREST    OF    FOUCAULT. 


^■1 


certain  officers  to  be  appointed  for  this  special  purpose, 
they  would  have  to  appear  in  their  turn,  and  to  go 
through  the  same  ceremony.  O'Reilly  also  wrote  to 
Aubry  a  letter,  in  which  he  told  him,  that  he  had  perused 
the  original  of  the  document  entitled :  "  Memorial  of 
the  planters,  merchants,  and  other  inhabitants  of  Louisiana, 
on  the  event  of  the  29th  of  October,  1768,  which  was 
found  in  the  possession  of  the  printer  Brand,  with  an 
order  signed  by  the  Commissary  Foucault,  authorizing 
the  publication ;  that  he  considered  this  document  as  a 
libel  injurious  in  the  highest  degree  to  the  authority  of 
the  King,  and  derogatory  to  the  respect  due  to  his  royal 
person  ;  that  it  was  defamatory  of  the  Spanish  nation  ; 
and  that  Foucault's  crime  being  fully  proved  by  his  sig- 
nature, there  could  remain  no  doubt  but  that  he  was  one 
of  the  chiefs  of  the  late  insurrection,  and  one  of  the 
principal  authors  of  the  excesses  committed  against 
Don  Antonio  de  Ulloa  and  the  government  of  his  Catho- 
hc  Majesty,  wherefore  he  begged  Governor  Aubry  to 
have  Foucault  arrested  with  the  greatest  precaution  and 
promptitude,  in  order  that  the  most  unfaithful  and  cri- 
minal conduct  of  that  officer  being  investigated,  both 
he,  O'Reilly,  and  Aubry,  should  be  able  to  lay  before 
their  respective  sovereigns  full  copies  of  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  trial  to  which  he  would  be  submitted.  This 
request  took  Aubry  by  surprise  ;  but  he  complied  with 
it  readily,  although  he  says  :  that  it  caused  him  a  great 
deal  of  grief  He  sent  Major  de  Grand-maison,  Cap- 
tain de  Lamazeliere,  and  Adjutant  Major  Aubert,  to 
arrest  Foucault,  in  the  name  of  the  King  of  France,  in 
the  house  where  this  Commissary  resided,  and  which 
was  to  be  his  prison.  There,  with  the  approbation  of 
O'Reilly,  he  was  guarded  by  a  French  detachment  and 
two  officers,  whom  Aubry  made  personally  responsible 
for  the  safe  keeping  of  the  prisoner.     As  a  measure  of 


CEREMONY    OF   SWEARING    ALLEGIANCE.  307 

precaution,  Foucault's  guard  was  to  be  changed  every 
day     Grand-Ma,son,  assisted  by  Lan^zeliere  and  Au- 

trol '  l^^.u       ''?'""'"  ^^  ^«^^'  the  Marine  Comp- 

^  oiler,  put  the  seals  on  Foucault's  papers.     Bobe  was 

appo,nte    by  Aubry  to  fulfil   the  functions  of  Foucau" 

"thluiJfTr"^'^*'  '^''  ^^^"^*^  Government, 
he   milh    dl       m  '""^,«f  r^^ble  for  all  the  harm  tha 
^e   m,gb    do,    although  I  think  that   he  is   incapable 
of  domg  wrong,  because  he  is  an    honest   man,^  and 

Xcar^    ''''"^'    ^'^    ^°"^"^*    ^^'   ^'^    -1-ior" 
On  the  25th,  O'Reilly  was  engaged  in  issuing  several 

fl  eZhn  '^T"^'  "  "'•'^^•^"  ''  --^'"g  -mediately 
the  faithful  and  prompt  administration  of  justice,  and 

chose  from  among  the  inhabitants,  those  who  wer;  re- 
puted  the  most  intelligent  and  honest,  to  call  them  to  the 
discharge  cf  those  judicial  functions,  which  the  good  of 
the  country  required.  ^ 

On  the  26th,  the  ceremony  of  taking  the  oath  of  alle- 
pance  was  performed,  as  it  had  been  prescribed      It 
began  with  the  clergy,  to  whom  precedence  was  allowed 
and  so  on,  through  all  the  classes  of  the  population! 
This  ceremony,"  wrote  Aubry,  "was  conducted  with 
much  order  and  dignity.     I  presented  to  the  General 
every  corps,  company,  or  corporation,  according  to  its 
nlMl      Tr'  ""'  <^^P^^^n..^  to  them,  in  a  loud  voice, 
all  the  obhg^^tions  to  which  they  would  be  subjected  b^J 
their  oath;  he  told  them  that  they  were  fully  and  entirely 
tree  to  take,  or  not  to  take  it;  that  thos.  who  should 
not  be  disposed  to  assume  such  an  engagement,  were 
the  masters  of  their  own  decision,  and   that  he  would 
give  them  all  the  time  and  all  the  necessary  facilities  to 
arra.ige  their  affairs,  and  to  retire  to  their  country.     Al- 
most  all  the  inhabitants  took  the  oath  with  zeal,  and  I 
dare  assert  that  they  will,  henceforth,  be  as  f.ifl.fi.l  s„!,. 


^, 


;i 


308 


l'H()t'i;KDI\(;S  WITH  RKSFKCT  TO  FOUCAULT. 


jocts  to  his  Calljolic  Majesty,  as  tlicy  were  to  tlic  moat 
Christian  Kintr.  After  the  ceremony  was  over,  I  ap- 
proached the  Spanish  Governor  with  t!je  whoKi  body  of 
tlie  French  olHcers,  and  1  told  him  that  we  deemed  it  a 
comphmcnt  and  an  honor,  to  serve  under  the  orders  of 
so  (hstin^nished  a  oeii(>ral  iis  he  was  ;  that  we  were  ready 
to  slied  our  blood  for  the  service  ol'  the  King  of  Spain, 
just  as  wilhnjrly  as  for  the  King  of  France  ;  and  that,  in 
so  doing,  we  would  merely  execute  the  Avill  of  the  King, 
our  master,  which  was  all  that  we  wished.  He  was 
completely  satisfied  with  this  demonstration,  and  an- 
swenul  MS  in  the  most  obliiiinir  manner." 

On  the  'iTth,  the  Acadians  and  (Germans  who,  althouirh 
they  had  made  all  {)ossible  haste  to  reach  New  C)rl(>ans 
on  the  2()th,  had  not  been  able  to  accomplish  their  ob- 
ject, were  admitted  to  take  their  oath  of  allegiance,  and 
Mere  immediately  sent  back  to  tiieir  rural  occupations. 

On  the  28th,  the  Spanish  troops  were  cngjiged  in 
landing  from  the  tleet  all  the  anununitioii,  |)rovisions, 
and  other  materials  and  elfects,  of  which  it  had  brought 
an  ample  supi)ly.  Oil  that  day,  by  the  order  of  Aubry, 
Major  de  Cirand-maison,  with  Captains  Lamazeliere  and 
Trudcau,  assisted  by  the  notary  Garic,  and  in  the  pre- 
sence of  Bobe,  the  marine  comj)troller,  proceeded  to 
raise  the  seals  which  had  bee'i  afiixed  in  Foucault's 
house,  and  to  inventory  all  the  papers  relative  to  his 
office,  and  which  were  to  be  handed  to  JJobe,  his  suc- 
cessor. "  I  had  also  ordered  the  same  officer,"  wrote 
Aubry,  "  to  require  of  I'oucault  a  declaration  under  oath, 
of  all  the  moveable  and  innnoveable  prop»>rty  he  owned 
in  the  colony.  It  aj)pears  from  his  own  showing  that  he 
owns  little  or  nothing,  and  has  a  heavy  amount  of  debts, 
both  in  France  and  in  this  colony." 

Although  the  preceding  operations  had  given  much 
occupation  to  General  O'Reilly,  he  did  not  neglect  to 


I-UTTKR    FROM    AUBIIY. 


309 


nfor  n  Inmsolf  „unut,.|y  of  „||  the  want,  of  ,1,„  colony. 
lie  ,I,..|,„tche<l  n.,.ssonKor.,  to  ull  llio  ,lista„t  .scttlon„.„t;, 
to  convey  officnU  n,„.|li«,.nco  of  In.,  arrival,  and  of  l,i 
lav  .,g  take,,  lorn,al  ,„«se,s,o„  of  ,l,„  provi  ,ce,  a,„l    o 

•"'"'"■•"■'1 ''"'";  ™."' "'''•™'  to  ■■ee..iv./,l,e  oall  of  all  " 

K,anco  of  all  ,|,o  inhal.itant,,  resulin,;  within  their  iil 
.e..on         e  re.,ne»te„  then,  also  "o  n,akc  ZJ  "; 

r":;:!:':  pZts  ■"" ' '°  ^'"""'^  '"^  ™^^^^*"«^  <"■  "■- 

'•His   intention,"  wrote  Aubi-y,  "is  to  introduce  „o 
,n„ovat,ons,  ,,nt  tho,..  which  ,n^y  „„  al.solnt.:^'  :  c- 
s.vry.     ir,>  will  nianitam  and  cause  to  l,o  eyecnted  -ill 
tl.e  w,se  an.l  nsoful  regnla.ion,,  which  the  gZ  ,    .;,  ' 
on  aceonnt  of  ,t.,  weak,,,..,,  had   „ot  l,een\,hl„  u  c  ,- 
or,.  , or  several  yoa,-s  back.     Ho  will  ke,,,  in  force       ■ 
Black  Code,  winch,  he  think.,,  contain.,  <..4cllen(  provi- 
s,on«„ot  only  w,ti,  re^ar,!  to  the  ,li.,ciplinc  wl  <       t 
cstahh.,l,c»  among  the  negro,.,.  l,nt  al,<  i„  ..elation  to 
he  >no,l..rat,„„  which   ,t  p,.,.scril„.,  ,o  „,a,te,.   mtl  e 
reahncnt  ol  tho,r  .,lave,.     Thi.,  ha,  infinitely      !„    . , 
tl,e  n,hal„tant,.     I  have  the  honor  to  lr.nsn,it , ,    „„  ,    ! 
or,hna„ce,  winch  h,-  has  i.,.,nn,|  on  thi.,  snbjcct. 

,1      ""  '""«  ''"■'"'"""'  "''»  '»I"".V-  it  i^  surprising 
t l,.,t  the  ,n,.,.,.  p,-c.„.nce  of  ,„„.  i,„|ivi,|„a|  sh„„|d   i„  ,« 

s ho     a  ton,.,  have  rc,to,-c,l  goo.l  onl,.,-,  peace  a„,|  tran- 

t  .nt  (.ene,a  <)-Ke,lly  l,a,l  ar,-ive,l  sooner,  it  wo'.ld  n,.ver 

Uv     seen  all  the  calan,itie,  f,„n,  which  it  ha,  snllLred. 

W,ll,  the  ,.xc,.pt,„„  ol  ,1  sn.all  ,„„„ber  of  famili,.,,  which 

n-,.  i„a,f,,le  of  .u„,sten,alion,  on  acconnt  of  what  ha,  so 

JUS  ly  be  al  .,,  ,on,e  ofth,.ir  ,ne,nl„.,-s,  who  have  ben  ar- 

r.;sted,all  the  n.st  „f  ,he  eoionist,  are, ,„iet an.l  satisfi,., . 

hey  arc  gratelnl  to  his  Catholic  Majesty  for  having 

sent  th,',,,  a  governor,  who  listens  >vith  '  ' 


itii  kindness  to  tl 


lose 


r< 


utm  *  mt>« 


iji^  m 


i 


a  10 


FOI'CAirf/r    SKNT    TO    IIlANCi:. 


wlu)  liiivo  any  hiisiiuis,-  with  him,  and  who,  althoiioli  ro- 
sjM'ctcd  and  Irarcd,  iw  not  the  less  lovnd  lor  his  (rciio- 
ro.sity,  his  ina<;iia,niniily,  and  hin  o(juity,  of  which  all  of 
lis  feel  lh(!  cilocls.  lie  will  nuiko  the  hapjjiness  of  this 
colony." 

( )n  tli(^  r>th  ofOclohiM-,  Anhry,at  the  ro(inost  of  ( Vlloilly, 
|)roc('(ul('d  to  \\w  interrogation  of  Foncaidl,  who  declined 
Hnswerin<r,  on  tin;  jfround  that  whatever  he  had  done, 
was  in  his  ollieial  capacity  of  conunissary  of  the  Kintr  of 
I'lance  and  in  his  name,  that  to  his  governnu^nt  alone 
h(;  was  answeral)le,  and  that,  as  ho  l>ad  not  seen  any 
order  of  arrest  issned  against  him  by  his  most  Christian 
]Mai(!sty,  he  j)rotest<>d  against  the;  decrees  of  which  he 
was  the  ohject,  and  excepted  to  the  jnrisdiction  of  any 
Spanish  Irihinial,  for  acts  which  he  had  done  ollicially, 
in  the  n;iin(!  of  the  King  of  France,  and  on  his  behalf. 
Several  attempts  were  made  to  induce  him  to  undergo 
an  «'xaniination,  but  he  n>niained  ol)stinateIy  silent  on 
those  occasions.  He  merely  said  that  he  was  willing  to 
stand  his  trial  in  I"' ranee,  and  h(^  repeatedly  ask<;d  to  be 
pent  thilh(>r.  Fpon  consideration,  it  was  thought  proper 
to  c()m|)ly  with  his  recpu'st,  and,  on  the  IJth  of  October, 
ho  was  embarked  for  France,  where,  on  his  arrival,  ho 
was  thrown  into  tiic  Jiastilo. 

S[)eaking  of  Foucault,  in  a  letter  written  to  the  Mar- 
quis of  (Jrimaldi,  O'Keilly  says:  "He  is  a  conceited 
and  narrow  minded  man,  who  lias  cheated  a  host  of 
peopUi  Ihm'c,  as  it  is  demonstrated  by  the  amount  of 
debts  which  he  l(>aves."  Indeed  it  appears  from  Tou- 
cault's  own  stat(MU(!nt  of  his  aliairs,  that  his  d<>bts  ex- 
ceeded his  worldly  goods  by  twenty-seven  thousand  dol- 
lars, which  was  a  pretty  considerable  sum  at  that  epoch. 
The  schedide  of  his  debts  proves  tiiat  he  iiad  even  j)os- 
sessed  the  art  of  duping  those,  Avhose  destruction  or  ex- 
pulsion fro'ii  the  colony  Jio  had  aimed  at ;  for  the  Span- 


II 


RKLEASE    OF    DIlArO. 


:ni 


ish  Coritador,  Don  Entcvari  Gayarrc,   is  put  down  for 
$780,  on  the  list  of  iiis  private  creditors. 

IJraiid  liad  also  been  arrested,  for  liavin«r  printed  the 
nieniorial  of  tlie  i)la!iters,  merchants,  &c.  of  Louisiana 
on  tlie  event  of  the  29th  of  October,  1708.  IJut  he 
pleaded  in  justification  that,  as  the  King's  printer,  he 
was  bound,  by  the  tenure  of  liis  office,  to  print  all  that 
was  sent  to  him  by  the  King's  commissary,  and  he 
showed  Foucault's  signature,  at  the  bottom  of  the  manu- 
script which  he  had  i)ublished.  This  defence  was  ad- 
mittcd  as  good,  and  he  was  set  free. 

This  was  the  prelude   to  the  great  trial  which  was 
soon  to  begin,  and  which,  ending  with  the  shedding  of 
the  blood  of  men  who  were  loved  and  respected,  what- 
ever their  faults  may  have  been,  left  a  deep  and  indelible 
impression  in  the  annals  of  the  colony. 


SEVENTH  LECTURE. 


A   State   Trial   in    1709,    and   one  in  1851— Indictment  and  Arguments  riiE- 
sKNTKi.  iiY  THE  Attoiinky-(!knkrai.  Don    Felix    del   lUv   aoainbt  Lakueniehk 

AND  THE  OTHER  CONSIMUATOlW—TllElR  DeKKNCK— KeKLECTIONS  ON  THE  UIGIIT 
WUICII  TJIK  C0L0N18TS  HAD  TO  HKSIST  THE  CeKSION— (JfOTATIONS  FROM  VATrEL'rt 
LAW  OK  NATIONS— JlIIKiMENT  AC1AIN8T  THE  ACCUSED— SoME  OF  THEM  ARK 
SENTENCED  TO  THE  (JaLI.OWS,  AND  OTHERS  TO  IMPRISONMENT— VaIN  EFFORTS  TO 
OBTAIN     A      RfMI-ITE     FROM     (VReILLY— O'RkILLY      DISPOSED     TO     CONNIVE      AT     THE 

Flight  of  Novan,  who  refuses  to  avail  himself  of  this  favoraiii.e  circum- 
stance-Want OF  A  AVhite  Hangman  in  the  colony— Anecdote  of  the  Black, 
Jeannot,  to  whom  these  functions  were  tendered  -For  want  of  a  White 
Man,  as  Puni.ic  Executioner,  the  accused,  who  were  sentenced  to  he  IIlno, 
ARE  Shot— The  Memorial  o*-  the  Planters,  Merchants,  and  other  inhaiiit- 
ANTS  of  Louisiana  on  the  event  of  the  UIIth  of  Octouer,  17C8,  is  iiurnt  on 
TiiB  fUDLio  square- The  son  of  Masan  gous  to  Spain,  and  throws  himself  at 

THE    FEET    OF    THE    KiNG— IIe    OBTAINS    THE    TaRDON     OK    HIS    FaTIIER    AND    OK  THE 

OTHER  Prisoners- Auimv,  on  his  Return  to  France,  is  Shipwrecked  and 
Lost— Anecdotm  ok  the  slaves  Artus  and  Cupido— TnEin  heroic  Answer  to 
O'Reilly — O'Reilly's  I^kspatch  to  (■rimaldi,  in  relation  to  the  Triai,  the 
Judgment  and  its  Knecution— Audry's  Leiteu  on  the  same  suiiject— Reflec- 
tions    ON     THE     COURSE      PUHSCED      BY     O'HkIMV— An      AnECIX.TE     OK     CARDINAL 

Richelieu  and  1)e  Thou,  applied  to  O'Keii.i.v— Sequestration  and  Confisca- 
tion OK  THE  Property  ok  the  Culprits— Cosin  ok  the  Trial— Inventory  ok 
BAiD  Property— I)ia*CRiPTioN  ok  the  Furniture  ok  the  wealthiest  houses  in 
Louisiana,  17ti9— Spartan  Simplicity— Description  ok  the  Dwellings,  Man- 
nf;rs,  and  Customs  ok  the  Colonists  at  the  time— Census  ok  the  Colony— Its 
Commerce,  Agriculture,  and  Finances— Final  Reflections, 


If  twelve  among  tlie  most  distiiigiiisliod  citizens  of 
Louisiana  were  now  brought  to  trial  for  high  treason,  as 
they  were  in  1709,  it  would  require  no  efibrt  of  the 
imagination  to  conceive  and  portray  the  scenes,  that 
would  be  the  natural  consequences  of  such  an  event. 
What  an  excitement  there  would  be  through  the  broad 
length  and  breadth  of  the  land!      What  an  array  of 


A   STATE    TRIAL. 


313 


friend.,  family  connexions,  wealth,  talent,  and    social 
mfluence,  ruslnng  to  the  rescue  !     What  passionate  d 
cussK>ns„.  every  place  of  public  resort,  aril  in  the  sane- 
tuary  of  every  man's  household  !     Could  that  queen  of 
ho   mmd,  to  whom  none  so  hi,.h  as  not  to  \lo  he 
rcvcrer.ce,  and  none  so  low  as  to  be  beyond  the  reach 
o    her  care  and  power,  could  the  press  remain  in>passive 
when  subjected  to  the  thousar.d  currents  of  electri    ty 
that  would  play  upon  i,er  !      Would  she  not,  like  a  mir^ 
ror,  be  compelled  to  reflect  the  passions  of  the  m  It . 
tude  around  and  be  exi,osed,  under  the  pressure  of  tl  o 
moment,  to  be  broken  and  divided  into  fragments,  r  p 
sontn..r  perhaps  the  antagonistical  images  of  pros^cu  ion 
and  deer.ce/      Would  she  not,  on  one  side,  c..l  o  Z 
••ue  and  cry  of  hatred  or  prejudice,  and,  ontheotle' 
would  she  not  repeat  the  pathetic  or  argumentative     r-' 
guage  of  justification  ?     Or,  if  soaring\bove  the  fiel  s 
of  contention,  she  rose  up  to  the  pure  atmospher    of 
imp--t.ahty,  would  she  not,  like  the  eagle,  look  do.^ 
^^t\   -  .,,er  impatience  at  her  quarry,  and  could  nhe  sup- 
pie.  :   -he  shrill  cry  of  exultation,  at  sight  of  the  rich 
food  prepared  for  her  craving  appetite  ?     Hut,  whatever 
"iigh    be  the  scenes  acted  and  the  persons  iu  plav  it 
would  be  on  the  broad  theatre  of  the  most  unlimit'ed 
freedom,  ui  the  cheering  and  illuminating  lio-ht  of  the 
glorious  sun  of  publicity,  and  under  the  scn.timzin.r  eye 
of  the  whole  civilized  world.  "" 

Now  comes  the  day  of  trial.  J.ook  at  that  vast  room 
where  stands  the  seat  of  judgment.  All  the  doors  arc 
open,  and  withm  and  without  the  palace  of  justice  are 
o  be  seen  the  serri(>d  ranks  of  an  eager  crowd.  I<^-om 
far  and  wide,  perhaps  from  the  most  distant  parts  of  the 
great  American  confederacy,  men  and  women  have  come 
to  share  in  the  emotions  of  the  fiimous  trial  which  occu- 
pies  the  attention  of  all,  and  the  preliminaries  of  which 


314 


A   STATE    TRIAL. 


have,  Tor  months  past,  with  our  modern  means  of  con- 
ycynig  inteni<,^rnce,  been  made  as  familiar  to  the  dweller 
in  the  remotest  villa«re  of  Mjiine,  as  to  the  immediate 
nei<rhbors  of  the  accused.  TIk;  shcrilf  has  proclaimed 
the  court  to  he  in  session  ;  the  ju(l<re,  a  man  sprung 
from  the  loins  of  the  people,  and  appointed  by  the  peo- 
ple to  expound  and  apjjly  the  laws  which  they  them- 
selves iuivc  framed,  is  on  the  bench ;  the  accused  have 
made  their  appearance  at  the  bar,  and  arc  ready  to  meet 
the  award  of  their  country.  Near  them,  for  their  pro- 
tection and  defence,  stand  some  of  the  most  learned  and 
clotiuent  advocates  that  ever  adorned  their  profession, — 
sonu;  who,  for  their  national  reputation,  have  been  in- 
vited  from  north  and  south,  from  east  and  west,  to  assist 
the  tahnit  and  genius  of  the  State, — some,  whose  will 
rules  senates,  and  directs  the  destinies  of  one  of  the 
most  powerful  nations  of  the  earth— whose  thunders  of 
eloquence  rise  not  only  over  the  boundless  plains,  over 
the  huge  range  of  mountains,  and  along  the  innumerable 
rivers  and  lakes  of  the  whole  continent  of  America,  but 
also  ride  the  Atlantic  wave,  and  reach,  with  undiminished 
power  and  majesty,  the  old  European  shore.  By  the  side 
of  those  whom  the  law  threatens  m  ith  her  uj)lifted  sword, 
are  such  champions,  interposing  their  shields,  and  ready 
to  do  battle  for  ju-esumed  innocence ;  and  wliat  is  per- 
haps more  cheering  and  more  gladdening  to  the  hearts 
of  the  accused,  is  the  i)resence  of  their  fathers,  mothers, 
brothers,  sisters,  and  other  relations,  with  numerous 
friends,  who  throng  the  hall,  and  whose  eyes  speak  the 
sympathies  of  their  souls,  and  whose  sorrow-stricken 
countenances  are  calculated  to  make  such  an  impression 
on  the  theoretically  inmiovcable  judges  ! 

It  is  beautiful  to  see  the  fortifications  and  out[)osts 
which  the  law  has  thrown  around  the  life  of  the  meanest 
citizen  of  our  country,  and  which  must  be  carried  before 


A   STATE    TRIAL. 


315 


it  can  be  forrcitcd.     First,  a  Crand  Jury  of  his  fdlow- 
citizens   is  to  dclcrinino  wlK3llior   there  are   sufficient 
grounds  to  i)ut  him  on  his  trial ;  then  it  is  his  sacred 
privilege  to  be  tried  by  iiis  j)eers,  by  a  petty  jiny  of  the 
vicinage,  drawn  by  lot.     He  is  furnished  in  time,  to  be 
duly  examined  and  considered  by  him,  with  a  list  of  the 
jury,  and  with  a  copy  ol'  the  indictment  found  against 
hnn ;  he  has  the  right  of  peremptory  challenge,  and  of 
challenge  for  cause.     Tliesi;  are  some  of  the  advantages 
secured  to  him,  and  of  which  a  more  minute  enumera- 
tion would  be  out  of  place.     In  such  a  case  as  the  one 
I  have  mentioned,  it  would  i)rol)al)ly  take  many  a  day  to 
empanel  a  jury,  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  finding 
men,  who,  from  the  public  or  private  reports,  and  from 
the  very  nature  of  our  institutions,  would  not,  in  spite  of 
themselves  as  it  were,  have  formed  an  opinion  on  the 
guilt   or  innocence  of  the  accused.     Yet  the  jury   is 
sworn  at  last !     The  Attorney  General  has  stated  the 
grounds  on  which  rests  the  prosecution,  and  the  wit- 
nesses for  the  State  are  brought  to  the  stand  to  substan- 
tiate them,  and  are  put  face  to  flice  with  the  accused. 
Then  come  the  skirmishes  and  partial  actions  between 
the  belligerents,  on  incidental  matters  of  debate.     The 
exammation  and  cross-examination  of  witnesses  is  con- 
ducted with  the  most  exquisite  skill ;  the  questions  of 
evidence  arc  minutely  sifted  and  elaborately  argued; 
every  inch  of  ground  is  disputed  with  unwavering  energy. 
W  hen  the  witnesses  for  the  defence  are  presented  in 
their  turn,  the  same  keen  encounter  of  wits,  of  science, 
of  dialectics   and  of  elocution  is  reacted.     During  all 
the  while,  faithful  reports  of  the  proceedings  have  been 
conveyed  to  the  expecting  millions,  through  the  daily 
columns   of  the  press.     After  many  days  of  mana3u- 
vrings  and  counter  manccuvrings,  and  a  display  of  judicial 
tactics,  infinite  in  variety,  the  evidence  on  both  sides  is 


:u(> 


A   ST  ATI;     III  I A  I, 


cl<>s(>(l,  and  \\\o  field  of  !ir«riiin('iit  is  opcMi.     N 


<>\v  coniCH 


iiblimoHt  of  all  s|)(<ctacl('s— llic  sfni<ror|(.  of  iiiii-lloct 


a;raii\s(   infcllcct,  clad   in   tli 


('   or()r(r(>()iis  armor  of  rlo- 


<Hi(>iiC(>.  It  sheds  no  Idood,  bm  only  the  divine  elfnl;,renc 
of  nrnd,  l)roii<ilit  info  sparklinir  r<dlision  with  mind,  in 
tile  sav-red  dischar<r,^  of  ,j|,iy.  It  is  tli(>  ball,,  of  spirits 
of  the  air,  of  areliano;els  fi^ditiii^r,  as  the  hard  saM  th(>m. 
with  heavenly  Aveanons.     lint  the  storm  i 


H  over,  and  a! 


the  artillery  of  ar<rnin(Mit,  of  lojjjie,  of  passion  and  of  art 
has  (>xhaiisted  its  missiles.  Now  is  Inward  the  clear 
and  nnimpassioned  voice  of  tho  judo;(>  addressin<,r  the 
jnry  ;  he  analyses  tl:«^  (>videiic(>,  lie  sums  up  th(>  artrn- 
meiifs,  he  confutes  sophistry,  he  (vxpounds  th««  law,  and 
recommends  its  imi)artial  a|>plicatioii.  The  verdict  of 
the  jury  closes  tho  soliMnn  sc«Mie. 

In  I7(i!),  far  dillenMit  proceedin<TS  took  |)lac(>,  tho 
judutes  descended  into  the  cells  of  th(>  accused,  and  forced 
tluMU  to  answer  minutely  all  the  (iU(>stions  they  deemed 
proper  to  propound.  The  ])risoiu>rs  inner  saw  the  wit- 
nesses who  were  hrouyht  a'^ainsl  them,  and  uvwr  knew 


who   they  won 


Tl 


lese   witnesses  were   examiii'Ml    i 


n 


secret ;  and,  with  the  same*  secrecy,  the  rest  of  the  evi- 
dence was  tak<Mi  and  weiii;hed.  It  must  Uc  said,  how- 
ov(>r.  thai,  with  r(><j:ard  to  the  fads  on  which  thc^  trial 
was  to  turn,  they  were  ahundantly  and  cl(>arly  proved. 
Indeed  they  had  been  of  so  |)ul)lic  ;i  nature  that  tli(>y 
could  not  be  denied.  TluMvforo,  tho  accused,  them- 
selves, admitted  most  of  them  to  be  true,  and  confessed 
the  respective  parts  they  had  acted  in  the  last  insurrec- 
tion. Mut  they  rested  their  defence  on  tlu^  followinir 
ijfrounds  :  The  King  of  Spain,  they  said,  had  never  taken 
possession  of  Louisiana,  and  Ulloa,  who  allo<red  that  he 
was  commissioned  to  that  ellect,  having  never  shown 
his  powers  and  credentials,  the  colonists  were  not  bound 
to  receive   him  as  the  representative  of  his   Catholic 


I 


A   STATK    TRIAI, 


:n7 


MajcsU',  i,ut  I„„l  ilu;  n^r|,n„,.onHi,h.rlimiasai,inini(l,.r 
<'"hI  an  iinposfor,  and  1(,  dismiss  liini  Ihmi  (lio  I'lovinrc 
as  tlH.y  did.     i\„t  only  ha.l  tlu.  S,,anianl.s  never  l.rrn  in 
|M.SHOHsi(»n  of  L.M.isiana,  hnl  als<,  the  clonistshad  never 
;■;«•"   Ha.   cmth    of   alle.,anc-e   ..,   t|.o   Kin^   of  Span.. 
1 1.erel.M-e   (he  l>n,vn,ee  ,a>l  having  become  Spanish,  it 
loIK.ued   that   It  n-mained   I'reneh.      Anhry  ha<l  nc-ver 
ceased  to  he  its  uovern,.r,an.l  the  eoloni.st.s  had  not  he.-n 
rdeased  (ron.  their (,alh  ofleahy  to  the  Ivm^r  of  IVan.e 
If  the  I  rovMico  had  h(.com(,  Spanish,  how  conhl  A.dnv 
8UII  contnuie  to  govern  it  in  the  name  of  the  I'n'nch 
King  i     How  eo.dd  justiee  he  achninistered  by  (he  same 
royal  authority  {     On  the  other  side,  if  it  had  rcnain,.! 
I-reneh   what  r.jrht  had  lllloa,  on  his  introdnein.r  hin,- 
soil  (..  l-rench  suhjects,  to  Im.  h.-hev*.!,  on  his  word,  to 
1)0  th..  representative  of  the  Majesty  of  Spain  f     What 
right  had   h(>^  witlmnt  exhihiti..g  any  credentials,  either 
from   r.ouis  XV.,  <u-  from  Charles  J||.,  to  assnme  any 
I>owerH  m  the  .olony  f     And  when  he  did   so,  was  it 
not  the  dn(y  of  the  colonists   lor  their  protection,  in 
vindication  ol  (h.-ir  dignity,  and  in  c.nlornnty  with  what 
was  due  to  then-  legitimate  sovc^reign  of  France,  to  eject 
the  lortHgn  trespass.M- /     ib.t,  adnntting  that  the  takinu 
possession  ot  tli(«  colony  hy  tia.  Spaniards,  or  that  som.  - 
thmg  tantamount  to  it,  had  been  .Ifc-cted,  or  that  said 
formal  ceremony  of  taking  possession  was  not  absohitclv 
nocessary  to  establish  in  Louisiana  the  Spanish  domina- 
tion,  yet  it  could  not  be  pretended  that  the  French  laws 
bad  ever  been  repejded,  and  tlajrefon;,  they,th(>  accused 
were  to  be  tried  and  judged  according  to  the  principles' 
forms  and  usag(>s  of  French  jurisprudence,  and  hy  those' 
brench  trihmials  and  authorities  that  were  competent  to 
take  cognizance  of  their  pretended  olfences,  at  the  time 
they  were  alleged  to  have  been  committed.     Thus  they 
protested  against  the  application  of  the  Spanish  la'ws  to 


.if 


Uu 


318     iMti;si:NTMi:.\T  of  tiik  attorni:y-cji;neuai,. 

tlicir  cihsc,  Nvlu'ii  those  laus  liad  ncvor  been  cxtc^ndcd 
over  the  colony. 

The  Fiicenciate  Don  Fehx  del  Key,  a  practitioner  be- 
fore tJie  Koynl  Coin-tH  of  St.  l)on»iii«fo  and  Mexico,  wlio 
had  been  Jijjpointed  the  prosecutinj^  Attoriiey-(J(  nerni 
on  behalf  of  the  kiiiff,  against  the  anthors  of  the  insnr- 
rection  of  the  '28th  of  October,  17(58,  presented  to  the 
Conrt,  on  the  !20th  of  October,  17()!),  (idl  Spanish  judi- 
cial proceedings  beinji;  in  writinj^,)  a  lonj;  docnin(>nt,  in 
which  he  reviewed,  with  <;r(^at  ability,  all  the  evidence 
that  had  been  intnxUiced,  toji^Mher  with  the  laws  a|)pli- 
cable  to  tlu^  cise  ;  and  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  accused  had  connnitt(>d  the  crime  of  rebellion, 
wherefore  ho  be<;<fe(l  that  th(>y  be  condenuied,  each  and 
severally,  accordinjr  to  their  res[)ectivc  d(^;^ree  of  <^uilt, 
to  underj^o  the  penalty  th(!y  had  deserved.  Hi;  com- 
mented with  severity  on  the  acts  of  the  prisoners,  and 
particularly  on  those  of  I.afreniere  and  Villere.  The 
latter  bein<f  dead,  was  represented  Ix'fore  the  court  by 
what  was  called  "  An  Attorney  to  his  memory,"  uii  avo- 
cat  a  sa  memoire. 

"  liafreniere,"  said  Don  Felix  del  Rey,  "  who  was 
clothed  with  the  character  of  the  King's  attorney  f^eneral, 
did  not  only  advise  the  presentation  to  the  Superior 
Council  of  the  petition  of  the  planters,  merchants,  and 
other  colonists  of  Louisiana,  but  also  maintained  with 
obstinacy  that  the  Council  w;is  competent  to  act  upon 
it,  whilst  he  knew  that  its  real  object  was,  to  resist  the 
orders  of  their  most  Christian  and  Catholic  Majesties, 
in  relation  to  the  cession  and  possession  of  the  colony 
and  to  many  other  j)oints  which  it  enumerated,  when 
they  could  be  decided  only  by  the  two  kings,  and  were 
entirely  beyond  the  contracted  sphere  of  the  Council. 
This  conduct,  on  the  i)art  of  Lalieniere,  is  that  of  an 
unfaithful  officer,  and  makes  him  guilty  of  a  crime  of  the 


r 


■■Kl«H.NT»lH,vr  „F   T,,,.;   ATTOItNUV-r.EVCRAI..      :1I9 

«rnvo,t  „n,l  ,„«,,  i,„.,,M.«.l.|,.  „ui„ro,  wl,o„,  „,  ,|„.  .,„.„ 
"«N  t  |m,vi.H  feds  which  h„  h„s  ,l,.„ie.l.    ThM.    • 

c  ,         "  ";'''l'r"  '"  '■"  ""•  "'ff'"  "l-ll"-  tl.n.no, 

,,.  ,.  """''    '"/""l"-.it<'  llic  r„yal  .lulhorily  ,„i,l  luris 
"^""".  »h„,  hy  .h.  v,.ry  „.„„„-  ,,11,1,  ,,!lico,  feh,      ,fv 

ous  ,,(  ,,l  ,„  ,„„„|,„„,„„  li,^  lrn,„|„ilhly,  yet  ho    1  , 

ftonunv,  f„r  In,,,,  h„vi„,, ,„  ,|„  „,',|  i,a  '  ^e  „  ,>  ,: 

''•'"'"      ' "    ""ll""-'ty   i„ri»,hclio„   of  his    ,  m    r 

ow.r  01  t,,k„,i;  cof;,„za„co  of  a  „,aitor  fiir  bcv.,,,,!  ii. 

Will  ,1     |„,   k„,fr,, „,„  r,«so„.,  ofStut,.  which    1,^1   -r 

<!"'■" »  ■nosl  Chiisti,,,,  M„jo-tylo  „,,lc    L 

of  |.oi,i«;.,„.,      ri,    .,  'J"  •  V  I"  "I'll'e  the  ccss,on 

,Vo,  ir  ''""tniry,  his  |,h,i„  ,i,„    „,,    j,,. 

Majesty    to  ,„,-„„t„i„,  with   ti,-„,„c.,.,,  Umt  th     J  i  ', 
«"l,m,„c.l  to  ,1,0  Co„„cil  ,li,l  not  cor^o  ,v   I,     i,        j  ' 

acciisul  (l„|  ,,ll  ho  could,  to  sccrc  tho  success  of  tho 
eons|„n,cy;  „„d,  i„  „„lo,.  to  ho  co„vi„eo"l  7  ,    t  H 

0  ly  necessary  to  oust  „  ,,|„„ce  at  the  conclusio.  s'o  „ 
"I'l'vss  ,o  the  Council,  which  b,-ea,l,o  haired  „,? 

.  S„a  ,o„,  ,,„d  n,  which  he  is  not  satisfied  with  ap      ,  i    , 

col  HUMS,  hut  also  |,onn,ts  hnnsolf  to  indnlm  in  tho  ,i,ost 
Jlent  ,.vpr..ss,ons,  i„  o,,ler  to  infinonce^hc  , ,  n  I, 

01  tho  CouncI,  and  ,„  ,ns„re  tho  success  of  the  n-M- 


320      PRESENTMENT    OF   THE    ATTORNEY-GENERAL. 


"  Such  was  llie  deportment  of  Lafreniere,  who  thus 
abused  liis  office  of  attorney  general,  and  showed  him- 
self the  chief  instigator  of  the  conspiracy,  whilst,  in  con- 
formity with  the  obligations  of  his  official  character,  far 
from  being  on  the  side  of  sedition,  he  ought  to  have 
been  more  careful  than  ever,  to  discharge  the  duties  of 
a  faithful  and  obedirnt  subject,  as  did  Aubry  on  that 
occasion,  who  sought,  with  the  greatest  zeal  and  activity, 
to  check  the  conspiracy,  to  tranquillize  the  inhabitants, 
and  to  kcop  them  in  due  submission.  Had  Lafreniere 
followed  such  an  example  of  loyalty,  I  have  no  doubt 
but  that  it  would  have  been  possible,  to  recall  the  public 
mind  to  its  usual  calm,  because  he  was  the  most  con- 
siderable personage  in  the  Council,  the  one  who,  on  ac- 
count of  his  office,  exercised  the  most  powerful  influence 
over  the  people,  and  because  he  was  the  head  of  a 
numerous  family.  Had  he  joined  Aubry,  and  had  he, 
like  this  officer,  protested,  as  he  ought  to  have  done, 
against  the  pretensions  of  the  Council  and  its  d  cree, 
the  rebels  would  have  been  obliged  to  change  their  senti- 
ments, and  the  members  of  the  Council  would  have  been 
constrained  to  do  the  like.  What,  above  all  gives  a 
darker  hue  to  Lafreniere's  guilt,  is  that,  at  the  very  mo- 
ment when  he  was  driving  his  fellow  citizens  into  rebel- 
lion, he,  in  his  capacity  of  attorney  general,  was  receiv- 
ing his  salary  from  the  King  of  Spain's  treasury. 

"  With  regard  to  Villere,  who  was  a.  man  of  atrocious 
dispositions,  aFid  remarkable  for  his  pride  and  violence, 
he  was,  undoubtedly,  one  of  the  moot  conspicuous 
movers  in  the  conspiracy,  and  signalized  himself  by 
deeds  of  the  most  striking  character.  He  it  was  Avho 
stirred  up  to  rebellion  the  Germans,  of  whom  he  was  the 
commander  ;  he  it  was  who  made  them  sign  the  petition 
requesting  the  expulsion  of  Ulloa  and  of  all  the  other 
Spaniards.     He  it  was  who  led  them  to  New  Orleans, 


PRESENTMENT  Or  T,.E    ATTORNEV-OENEBAL.      321 

strengthen  the   insurrecuon,  as  every  body  must  be 
aware  smco,  on  that  day,  he  was  at  their  head  aZ  com 
raanded  them.    These  facts  are  proved,  in  every  ir" 
re  oliV"  t'^fT  "fatnesses    whieh 'arTt 
Z      f'  rll         "  "'''"  •'"''  «'"^  """""ty  to  order  the 
arrest  of  Maxent  at  the  German  Coast,  and  to  take  no 

.»uSom^t&'"™'  "''"^  ''""^  -'-"  "ad  been 
In  relation  to  Petit,  who  was  of  a  very  diminutive  size 

and  said,  m  the  sneer„,g  language  of  contempt :  "  It  has 
been  proved  that  he  participated  in  all  tlu-ft  was  don^ 
by  the  conspirators,  and  that,  several  days  before  thi 

m;"o~''th:t '""  ;"'"f  •  ^■"'  g^^'P^Oe  of 
impor  ance,  that :  ere  Img,  Ihe  people  wmdd  be  rid  of  thai 

deml,  Vlloabec<n,scne,Pelil,,J,„kenall,hc  nctar, 
mea^^res  ,„  drtvc  hi,u  of.     On  the  day  of  the  Z   ec^ 
fon,  he  appeared  among  the  rebels,  giving  order"  and 
assuming  to  be  one  of  the  leaders  and  chief  actors    so 
much  so,  that  he  had  the  insolence  to  east  off  S' hi" 
own  hands,  vvhen  Ulloa  was  expelled,  the  line      lich 
made  fast  to  the  shore  the  vessel  in  which  t  a    offirer 
had  embarked  because  he  felt  impatient  at  the  tard  nesi 
of  the  sailors  ,„  executing  that  operation.     It  was  "l; 
proved  that,  on  his  being  informed  ofthe  arriv  U  t" 
Exee  leney,  Genend  O-Ueilly,  at  the  Talize,  he  said  • 

>ards,a„d,ha,  h  u-ould  Uou,  out  the  brails  of  Ike  elZd 
"t"  ■'''»"''  "'[  '^Wcrmil^.  These  ,are  the  most  a  rodo  ,s 
offences  wliieh  eould  be  committed  by  a  porsonag"  Z 
much  msignific-nce.  Notwithstanding  I  is  fury  and  the 
gigantic  proportions  of  his  pretensions:  it  was'iiot  pos! 
8.ble  for  him  to  do  more.    Thus,  considering  only  what 

31  ■ 


ti 


322       PRESENTMENT   OF  THE   ATTORNEY-GENERAL. 


lie  did,  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt,  however,  that  he 
was  one  of  the  most  obstinately  violent  actors  among 
the  rebels,  and  that  he  would  have  taken  liis  share  in 
offences  still  more  serious,  if  his  intellectual  capacity 
and  the  contexture  of  his  j)hysical  organization  had 
furnished  him  with  better  means  of  conception  and 
execution." 

Don  Felix  del  Rey  thus  reviewed  all  that  had  been 
proved  against  every  one  of  the  accused,  and  presented 
it  to  the  court  under  its  most  striking  colors.  After 
liaving  related  all  the  events  of  the  revolution,  and  ana- 
lysed all  the  evidence  on  record,  he  proceeded  to  an 
examination  of  the  laws  which  he  thought  applicable  to 
the  case.  "  Although,"  said  he,  "  according  to  th 
strict  letter  of  the  law,  the  crime  of  high  treason  or  re- 
bellion end)races  equally  all  those  who  have  any  share 
in  its  enormities,  yet  our  sovereign,  the  most  clement  of 
kings,  willing,  in  order  to  preserve  the  people  against 
greater  misfortunes,  that  punislunent  be  inflicted  only 
on  a  few,  with  the  view  of  making  it  an  exam[)lc  to 
others,  has  ordered  by  his  royal  schedule  (H.)  annexed 
to  the  record,  that  only  the  chief  authors  of  the  revolu- 
tion and  their  principal  accomplices  be  brought  to  trial, 
and  punished  in  accordance  with  the  degree  of  their 
guilt.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  fact  of  conspiring, 
in  a  seditious  manner,  against  the  State,  renders  the 
chief  authors  of  this  crime  and  their  accomplices  equally 
guilty,  although  it  may  not  have  had  for  its  main  object 
the  royal  Majesty  itself,  beciiuse,  if  it  be  not  directed 
against  the  person  of  the  prince,  it  is  nevertheless,  by 
its  nature,  and  in  its  very  essence,  an  act  of  high  treason,  * 
and,  consequently,  it  nmst  be  followed,  on  conviction,  by 
the  application  of  the  pain  of  death  and  by  the  con- 
fiscation of  property. 

"  I  do  not  intend  to  descend  into  the  abyss  of  that 


roiiSENTMENT  „r   Tin,   ArronNEV-OKNEUAl.      323 

mimifude  oflaws,  wl.icl,  I  might  suuuno,,  ,„  ,!,«  support 
"I  the  conclusions  to  wliich  1  Imve  come.  I  sl,.,l] 
•out  myself  with  establishing  my  po  i  i™  „f  1  "• 
aha  able  foundation  „f  a  few^a>^s  ll  I'L:  tcUv' 
on  tins  case,  and  which  arc  decisive  against  t1  e  ac^se  f 
The  first  law  which  I  shall  ,„„te,  is  tira.  wl  ieh  d  cCT  ' 
that  any  ,ed,Uom  or /odious  indiMml  ,oh  .kdl^Z     ' 

A;«%  of  k:sk  ,.rc.so,.     This'  law  il         rttdf  3 
Its  exact  application  to  this  case  is  o.nnll  - 1  .| 'i      ' 
^idcring  that  the  accused  i.lduced  ,1  c'iul  abl,  ,^      VT^ 
provi,.e  to  take  „p  anns.  in  o^lft  "        ra:'"« 
no„  Antonu,  de  Ulloa  the  rights  which  Ty  SZ 

,    law  that .  ,f„„,j  nnc  producrs  disl„rlm„ccs  or  rn,ol„ 

2  ,hc  ku,,do,n, ,,,  ,.u,.si„g  „:/,>,,  ,„  „„,/,,,„„;; :;  ''^^ 

toosscmbk  m  „rms,  „ff„;„>,l  the  ,.mcr  „nd  dinuJ'ZZ 

w^/rwca  oj  all  ihat  Im  mau  possess.     Another  I-,,.,  ,.^ 
■n  -pport  of  this  one,  anydoclares  ^l^dlZCZl 
<.....«  such  <Usl„rh,„„rs  shall  Ik  Irnilor,    o„d  /„  li 

Mdenlh  and  ,l„-  loss  ,f  ihrir  ,"  ^  "';/"/«"*'' 
claration  is  re,.oatcd  in  loti  -  C  aiu  1!!?  "' 
"  a  word  there  is  no  lack  of  law;  d,  i'l'^r 
<■.».«.,  and  puu,shing  with  uniforu,  severity,  tlufofe  cj 
to  which  our  attention  is  called. 

"In  the  present  case,  it  is  evident  that  the  accuse,! 
uro  s,.d,t,ous  men,  who  conspired  against  tl     k      Z 

omination.  1  |,„y  also  outraged  the  S,,anish  le»i,|a. 
tmn,  government  and  .u.tion  by  the  ,„os  insul  in^r  „d 
opprohnous  language,  and  by  {heir  demons,;  ol.s'^'f 
liutrcd  agumst  Ins  Majesty;  and  tins  last  law  which  1 


324      PRESENTMENT    OF   THE    ATTORNEY-GENERAL, 


^^1 

1 

WS^k. 

bS 

have  quoted,  speaks  also  of  this  crime.  Through  their 
liatred  of  the  king  and  kingdom,  they  took  up  arms  un- 
der the  pretext  of  defending  their  hberty  and  their  rights, 
as  they  unanimously  confess,  and  finally,  they  caused  a 
prejudice  to  the  kingdom,  in  destroying  by  their  rebel- 
lion, what  the  government  and  treasure  of  Spain  had 
done,  for  several  years  past,  in  order  to  increase  and 
improve  the  resources  of  this  colony.  Besides,  their 
conspiracy  was  the  cause  of  the  expenses  of  fitting  out 
the  considerable  expedition,  which  became  necessary  to 
reduce  them  to  submission  and  confirm  the  possession 
of  his  Catholic  Majesty  j  so  that,  by  applying  the  letter 
and  spi.  it  of  the  aforesaid  laws,  it  is  apparent  that  the 
accused  are  guilty,  and  deserve  to  lose  their  lives  and 
their  property.  There  is  also  another  law,  which  sub- 
jects them  to  the  same  penalties,  by  declaring  :  That  he 
who  labors  by  deed  or  word  to  induce  any  people,  or  atiy 
provinces,  under  the  domination  of  the  King,  to  rise 
against  his  Majesty,  is  a  traitor.  The  application  of  this 
law  is  so  striking  that  it  requires  no  comment,  as  it  is 
proved  that  the  accused  caused  the  insurrection  of  the 
Germans  and  Acadians,  who  were  living  in  quiet  sub- 
mission to  his  Majesty." 

"Such  are  the  laws  according  to  which  his  Majesty 
ordered,  in  his  royal  Schedule,  that  those  found  guilty  in 
this  affair  be  punished ;  and  these  laws  are  consistent 
with  the  laws  of  nations,  and  particularly  with  the  juris- 
prudence of  every  monarchy.  The  fact  is,  that  there  is 
not  perha})s  a  nation,  by  which  laws  of  the  same  nature 
have  not  been  enacted,  and  are  not  put  in  force  against 
those,  who,  seditiously  and  tumultuously,  conspire 
against  the  State,  since  the  only  means  of  securing  the 
preservation  and  tranquillity  of  a  kingdom,  is  to  make 
use  of  this  kind  of  punishment  against  those  who  have 
the  audacity  to  raise  distuibances  ;  and  it  is  impossible 


I 


iii' ' 


PRESENTMENT   OF   THE    ATTORNEY-GENERAL.      325 

to  question  the  legitimate  application  of  these  same  laws 
to  the  crime  committed  in  Louisiana  against  his  Majesty 
of  Spam,  when  it  is  taken  into  consideration,  that,  on 
the  breakmg  out  of  the  insurrection  of  the  28th  of  Oc- 
tober the  sovereignty  of  the  King  over  Louisiana  was 
estabhshed,  as  much  by  the  possession   taken  by  Don 
Antonio  de  Ulloa  in  the  name  of  his  Catholic  Majesty, 
as  by  the  right  which  the  King  had  acquired  over  thaj 
colony,  by  virtue  of  the  act  of  cession  made  by  his  most 
Christian  Majesty,  which  was  published  in  the  colony 
by  the  order  of  said  Majesty." 

"It  is  idle,  on  the  part  of  the  accused,  to  say  that, 
Ulloa  having  never  shown  his  credentials,  and  having 
never    aken  possession  of  Louisiana,  they  never  were 
under  the  domination  of  Spain,  and,  therefore,  cannot  be 
guilty  of  the  crime  of  rebellion  against  her.     It  is  true 
that  the  vam  pageantry  of  pulling  down  the  French 
flag  and  of  raising  the  standard  of  Spain,  was  not  exhi- 
bited   on  the  public  square  at  New  Orleans.     But  did 
not  Aubry  the  representative  of  the  King  of  France, 
receive  Ulloa  as  the  representative  of  the  King  of  Spain? 
Was  he  not  acknowledged  as  such  by  the  militia,  by  all 
the  ecclesiastical,  military  and  political    corps  of  the 
colony?     Was  not  immediate  and  complete  possession 
of  the  colony  tendered  to  Ulloa,  and  even  pressed  upon 
nm  with  persevering  earnestness  ?     Was  it  not  declined 
by  him  on  account  of  an  unforeseen  circumstance-the 
refusa  of  the  trench  troops  to  serve  the  King  of  Spain 
according  to  the  promise  and  engagement  of  their  sove- 
reign, and  because  Ulloa  found  himself  without  sufficient 
forces  to  occupy  all  the  posts  !     B.it  did  he  not  take 
possession  of  the  Balize  and  of  all  the  posts  which  are 
the  keys  of  the  province  ?     It  is  true  that  the  flag  of 
France  continued  to  wave  alongside  of  that  of  Spain, 
but  It  was  as  the  flag  of  an  ally,  whose  assistance  was 


f  i 


326     PRESENTMENT   OF   THE    ATTORNEY-GENERAL. 


-  ^-^" 


necessary,  and  not  because  the  province  remained 
French.  Aubry  hiriiself  retained  his  authority,  only  ot 
the  request  of  Ulloa,  and,  therefore,  was  only  the  Span- 
ish governor's  delegate — and  a  mere  agent  and  trustee 
for  the  crown  of  Spain — exercising  powers  ad  interim, 
on  the  invitation,  with  the  consent,  a,.  '  ♦I^e  benefit 
of  his  Catholic  Majesty." 

"Ulloa  never  was  in  possession  of  Louisiana !  Then, 
by  what  right  was  the  Spanish  flag  floating  from  the 
Balize  to  the  Illinois  ?  How  came  all  the  expenses  of 
the  colony  to  be  paid  out  of  the  Spanish  treasury  from 
March  1766  to  October  1768,  when  the  insurrection 
broke  loose  ?  How  came  Aubry  to  promulgate  decrees 
issued  by  Ulloa  ?  TIow  came  the  Superior  Council  to 
register  them  ?  Was  not  the  fii  ncial,  commercial  and 
military  administration  of  the  colony  entirely  under  the 
direction  of  Ulloa  ?  Who  granted  passports  to  the 
merchants?  Was  it  not  Ulloa?  To  whom  did  the 
commanders  at  the  several  posts  apply  to  be  continued 
in  office?  Was  it  not  to  Ulloa?  Was  it  not  with  his 
consent  and  approbation  that  Noyan  was  at  the  head  of 
the  Acadians,  and  Villere  in  the  command  of  the  Ger- 
mans ?  Whence  did  the  chief  conspirator,  Lafreniere, 
derive  his  salary  as  Attorney  General  ?  Was  it  not 
from  the  Spanish  treasury  ?  Was  he  not  in  the  pay  of 
Spain  when  he  turned  upon  her  ?  Was  it  not  treason  ? 
Who  supplied  the  needy  Acadians  and  Germans  with 
their  necessities  ?  Who  drove  away  famine  by  furnish- 
ing the  colonists  with  the  provisions  they  required  ? 
Who  paid  the  Clergy  ?  Who  repaired  the  churches  ? 
Who  gave  permission  to  the  planters  to  export  their 
crops,  and  to  purchase  the  negroes  whom  their  agricul- 
tural pursuits  demanded  ?  Was  it  not  Ulloa  ?  And  the 
members  of  the  Council  themselves,  did  they  not  fre- 
quently submit  to  his  approbation  the  judgments  which 


PRESENTMENT   OF    THE    ATTORNEY-GENERAL.     327 

they  liad  rendered  ?    How  came  his  authority  to  be  thus 
recognized  in  the  sanctuary  of  justice  ?    If  UUoa,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  colonists,  was  not  clothed  with  legitimate 
authority,  how  came  they,  during  two  years,  to  be  daily 
invoking  that  authority,  and  plying  him  with  constant 
applications  for  the  grant  of  protection,  of  privileges  and 
ot  favors,  and  for  the  redress  of  wrongs?     And    after 
having  thus  acted,  how  can  they  be  so  graceless' as  to 
turn  round,  and  contradict  themselves,  by  saying  that  he 
never  had  any  authority  ?    How  is  it  that  no  vessel  was 
allowed  to  sail  from  France  to  Louisiana,  unless  she  had 
a  passport  granted  by  the  Spanish  authorities  residing 
m  that  kingdom  ?    Is  it  not  clear,  then,  that  Louisiana 
was  a  bpanish  province  in  the  eye  of  France  ?     And  if 
so  for  France,  how  could  it  be  otherwise  for  the  colo- 
nists?    All  these  facts,  which  I  have  enumerated,  are 
proved  beyond  doubt  or  cavil.     Do  they  not  constitute 
possession?     And  could  they  have  come  to  pass,  had 
there  not  been  previous  and  effectual  possession,  to  all 
intents  and  purposes  ?     This  ground  of  defence  is,  there- 
lore,  not  tenable. 

"As  to  the  plea  of  the  want  of  credentials,  and  of  their 
not  having  been  duly  registered  in  the  archives  of  the 
province,  why  did  not  the  colonists  raise  that  objection, 
at  the  threshold,  and  refuse  entrance  to  Ulloa  into  their 
territory,  unless  he  exhibited  the  authority  under  which 
he  pretended  to  act  ?    But,  after  having  so  long  dispensed 
with  the  production  of  these  credentials,  after  having 
recognized  him  a.  the  representative  of  the  Kin<T  of 
Spam,  after  having  allowed  him,  during  two  years  to 
exercise  all  the  powers  that  he  did,  can  they  be  permit- 
ted  to  argue,  trom  the  circumstance  of  Ulloa's  having 
rehised  to  exhibit  his  credentials  and  to  have  them  regist 
tered,  that  they  wcro  not  bound  to  obey  him  as  the  .au- 
thorized mimsterial  embodiment  of  Spain  in  the  colony 


328 


rUESENTMKNT   OF    THE    ATTOKNEV-GENERAL. 


;? 


and,  thoiclorc,  tluit  they  did  not  and  could  not  commit 
rob(>Ilion  a<r!iinst  our  gracious  80verci«rn  /  If  tiiis  plea 
could  ever  liavi;  boon  crood,  they  have  precluded  them- 
selves from  its  use  by  their  own  acts,  and  it  is  now  too 
late  to  present  it  to  this  court  as  a  shield  to  rebellious 
traitors.  These  acts  demonstrate  that  IJlIoa  had  taken 
possession  of  the  colony,  and  that  the  King  of  Spain 
was  exercising  therein  all  the  powers  of  sovereignty, 
when  the  insurrection  of  17(i8  took  place." 

"  IJut  achnitting,  for  the  sake  of  argument,  that  Ulloa 
never  took  j)ossession  of  Louisiana,  is  it  to  be  inferred 
from  this   fact,   that   the   provinc(;   remained  French? 
Certainly  not.     The  treaty  of  cession  made  it  a  Spanish 
domain,  from  the  moment  it  was  signed  and  approved  by 
all  the  parties.     The  proof  of  it  is  to  be  found  in  the 
French  king's  letter  to  D'Abbadic,  in  which  this  officer 
was  informed,  that  it  was  his  Majesty's  intention  to  abdi- 
cate all  his  rights  in  and  to  the  colony,  from  the  very 
moment  of  the  cession.     Another  proof  is,  that,  in  this 
very  same  document,  hivS  most  Christian  Majesty  desig- 
nates the  colonists  of  Louisiana  as  the  new  subjects  of  Ms 
Cnthol'w  Majesiif  ;  and  a  third  proof  is,  that  France  gave 
olFectual  information  to  her  officers  in  the  colony,  that, 
from  the  day  of  Ulloa's  arrival  at  New  Orleans,  she 
would  cease  to  be  responsible  for  the  expenses  of  the 
colonial  administration.     Clearly,  then,  the  colony  was 
no  longer  French.     What  was  it,  what  could  it  be,  if 
not  Spanish?     It  is  indeed  ludicrous  to  maintain  the 
contrary." 

"  But,  say  the  accused :  w^e  had  not  taken  the  oath  of 
allegiance  to  the  King  of  Spain,  and,  therefore,  we  can- 
not l>e  guilty  of  the  crime  of  rebellion  and  high  treason 
against  him.  This  is  the  weakest  kind  of  sophistry,  and 
its  refutation  is  easy.  If  the  accused  were  not  the  sub- 
jects of  his  Catholic  Majesty,  they  were,  at  least,  resi- 


a 


t« 
b 
C 

ir 


PRESENTMENT   OF   THE    ATTORNEY-<;eNERAL.      320 

dents  in  his  domain;  and  it  is  a  legal  doctrine,  well  set- 
tled, long  ago,  that  those  who  are  domiciliated  in  a 
foreign  country,  or  who  are  mere  travellers  therein, 
although  they  are  aliens   and  the  subjects  of  another 
power,  and  have  not  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 
sovereign  ot  the  country,  in  which  they  happen  to  be, 
are  bound,  during  their  residence  in  it,  either  perpetual 
or  temporary,  to  be  true  and  obedient  to  that  soverei-m, 
m  return  for  the  protection  and  security  which  is  ex- 
tended over  them  ;  and  that  they  may  be  as  much  guilty 
of  rebellion  and  high  treason  against  him  as  his  natural 
born  subjects.     It  has  even  been  determined  that  fonsign 
ambassadors  wen^  obliged  to  abstain  from  doin.r  any- 
thing derogatory  to  the  respect  due  to  the  sovereign  in 
whose  court  they  were  sent  to  reside,  and  could  be  dis- 
missed for  any  act  done  in  violation  of  his  rights,  of  his 
royal  dignity  and  of  the  laws  of  his  kingdom  ;  an.    if  cer- 
tain immunities  on  that  ground  have  been  granted  to 
Uiem,  It  is  a  matter  of  national  courtesy  and  not  of  right, 
and  should  ambassadors  proceed  to  any  overt  acts  of 
violence  against  the  sovereign,  they  would  be  liable  to 
be  punished  according  to  the  laws  of  the  land." 

"  My  preceding  observations  are  sufficient  to  remove 
all  the  doubts  which  may  have  been  raised  '^y  the  alle- 
gations of  the  accused:  that  Ulloa  had  not  taken  pos- 
session ot  the  colony,  at  the  time  when  the  crimes  with 
which  they  are  charged  were  alleged  to  have  been  com- 
mitted;  that  they  had  not  sworn  fealty  to  the  King  of 
Spain ;  and  that  they  had  remained  bound  by  their  oath 
to  the  King  of  France,  until  they  were  absolved  from  it 
by  the  solemn  ceremony  which  took  place,  slionly  after 
General  O'Reilly's  arrival." 

"  The  true  statement  of  the  case  may  be  summed  up 
ma  very  tew  words.  vVfter  the  treaty  of  c(>ssion,  Lou- 
isiana had,  for  more  than  two  years,  been  a  Spanish  pro- 


■  m 


'3'M)      I'llIISF.NTIWKNT   OF    TIIK    ATTORNKY-tJKNIlKAI,, 


viiico  ill  llio  oyoH  of  tlio  world,  and  tlin  coloni.stH  tlioni- 
solvcH,  «liii-iii<r  all  tliiit  liiiu',  had  quietly  snhmiltt'd  to  the 
Spanish  ndc,  when  soinc  lactious,  pciversc  and  uinhi- 
tioiis  iiidiviihiuls,  not  satisliod  with  Ulloa's  adiniiiiHlm- 
tioii,  and  n'«r|i>tlin<r  tht>  loss  ofthoir  lormcr  importaiicc, 
rtoduct'd  \\u)  I'vM  of  tho  |MM>plo  niidcr  failsi*  prcttixts  and 
by  circulatin<;  tho  most  infamous  calunmics,  and  avail(>d 
tliomscIvcH  of  tho  irritation  prochicod  by  a  commorcial 
<locr(>o  unj)alatabh>  to  tho  nuMrhants  of  Now -Orleans,  to 
brin^r  oi,  t|„.  insurrection  of  th(>  'J!)th  of  (>otol)(<r  17(58, 
under  the  delusive  hope  that  lh(>y  would  thus  dis<^nist 
Spain  with  tlu;  now  aiMiuisilion  which  had  Immmi  t«!ndorod 
to  her,  and  force  Franco  to  take  them  back  unto  her 
bosom,  in  on\cv  to  prevent  their  throwing  thonisolvos 
into  tho  arms  of  I''nir|aii<l.  The  laws  applicable  to  these 
crinunal  acts  have  boon  (juoted  and  conimonted  upon ; 
the  facts  of  the  cas(>  are  so  authentically  proved,  the 
defence  of  the  accused 


m 


is  so  futile,  and  tlu*  laws,  whoso 
ajosty  is  to  bo  vindicatt>d,  sp(<ak  a  lan<rua<;e  so  posi- 
tive, so  connnanding  and  so  dear,  that  what  HMuains  for 
me  to  do,  is  only  to  require,  in  the  King's  name,  the 
judgnuMit  of  tho  Court." 


Don  I 


^on  i'olix  del  Key  took  no  notice  of  tiiat  part  of  the 
(h^fence  which  rested  on  the  <j;round,  that  tlu\  l-'ronch  laws 
havin«r  never  boon  repealed,  ami  the  Spanish  laws  having 
never  bo(Mi  put  in  force,  the  accused  were  to  hv  tried  and 
judged  according  to  the  |)rinciploa,  forms  and  usages  of 
French  jurisi)rudence,  and  by  those  French  authorities 
and  tribunals  that  wore  conijietent  to  take  cognizance  of 
their  pntonded  o1V(Mic(\s,  at  the  time  they  wore  alleged  to 
have  boon  committed.  It  ^vus  thought,  no  doub',  that 
the  King  had  hnally  prodocidod  this  point,  by  sending  a 
tribunal,  ready  formed,  from  Spain,  with  all  the  neces- 
sary instructions  and  powers,  to  try  tho  authors  of  the 
insurrection  of  1768.    It  was  not  for  the  members  of 


ui:makks  on  tiik  plea  of  thk  AccrsED.     331 

this    Irilmnnl    to   set   iisulr   thoso   iiiHtnulioMH,  on    the 
^n-o.uul  of  their  illc«,'iility,  and  to  ,|iioHtion  thi-  unthority 
with  which,  for  u  H|)or.ial  \mv\H>Hv,  they  had  Uv.v.u  clothed 
by  lh(«  soverri^r,,,  ,uh|  t„  hstci.  to  ar^niinents  afr„inHl  their 
jurisdiction.     This  was  a  matter  for  th(!  consideration  of 
iiin  Irom  whom  th(>ir  powers  originated.     Hut,  if  Dor, 
l'clix(h'|  Uey  had  not  considered  it  nseU'ss  to  (Miter  into 
th(.  (hscnssicm  of  this  ,,|„a,  net  up  hy  the  acciis.ul,  ho 
mi-ht  have  answenul :  Tnat  a  distincli<m  must  Uv.  made 
hotw(>en     the    civil    and    politicnl    laws,    those    which 
ranilale    llu;   relations  of  citizens   amoiifr    tluuiiselveH, 
»'ul   thos(.  wlii(-li  are  estnblish(Ml  for  the  protection  and 
Hocunty  of  tli(>  Sfaf<^     When  a  territory  is  ac(|nin;d  hy 
H  nation,  ilu;  civil  laws  which  exist«ul  there  at  tla;  time, 
must  undoiihtedly  continue  in  vi^rc,,-,  „„ti|  they  an;  ahro- 
S<-«l<"<l,  or   inodifKMl   hy  the    new   soverei^r,,.     l{„t    with 
ro^rard  to  the  political  and  fnndanuu.tal  hiws,  as  tlu-y 
are  mhorcnt  to  the  soverei^rnty,  they  follow,  ipso  facto, 
itH  evt,>nH,on  wherever  it  is  carried,  and  are  in  force,  at 
the  very  monxMit  wImm.  that  sov(>reiunty  is  established, 
Ihus,  wIkmi  in  I8():{,  (;ov.  Claihorne  took  possession  of 
Louisiana  in  the  name  of  the  Uiiit(>d  Stat<-s  of  Am(>rica, 
the  civil  laws  of  that  province  w(>re  not  altcTcnl  by  this 
fact.     JJut  suppose  the  inlmbitants  of  the  country,  as 
they  did    in    I7()H,  had  taken   up  arms,  and  violently 
resisted  and  e.vpc^lled  (Governor  Claiborne.     This  would 
hav(>  constituted  tli(«  (-rime  of  n'bellion  or  liijrh  tn^ason 
ajrainst   the   United    States.     Would    the    trials,  which 
would  have  been  the  inc^vitable  cons(M|iiences  of  such 
deeds  of  violence,  have  be(«n  conducted  accordin^r  to  the 
forms,  rul(!s,  customs  and  laws  of  France,  or  Spain,  or 
HI  coiilormity  with  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  as 
applicable  to  sued,  cases  ?     Clearly,  in  accordance  with 
the  last,  which,  almost  as  a  component  j)art  of  the  flao 
ot  the   United  States,  would  have  followed  it  into  the 


332 


QUOTATION    FROiM    VATTEL. 


ife' 


province,  and  have  been  in  force  by  the  mere  fact  of 
possession,  without  requiring  any  special  promulgation ; 
and  all  outrages,  such  as  acts  of  rebellion  or  high  trea- 
son, against  the  collective  sovereignty  of  the  United 
States,  would  have  been  repressed,  tried  and  punished 
according  to  the  laws  of  these  States,  and  by  the 
tribunals  of  their  own  creation,  and  not  according  to 
the  laws  and  by  the  tribunals  established  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  sovereignties  of  Spain  and  France. 
This  distinction  between  civil  and  political  laws  is 
essentially  required  by  their  very  nature.  Thus  it 
seems  that  the  plea  set  up  by  the  accused  in  17G(),  and 
on  which  I  do  not  think  it  out  of  place  to  venture  these 
few  remarks,  although  Don  Felix  del  Rey  deemed  it 
unworthy  of  notice,  did  not,  in  reality,  rest  on  any  solid 
foundation. 

Be  it  as  it  may,  it  is  certain  that,  if  the  colonists, 
instead  of  having  accepted  for  two  years  the  Spanish 
domination,  had  resisted  it  in  the  beginning,  on  the 
ground  that  they  were  no  herd  of  cattle,  and  could  not 
be  transferred  away  without  their  consent,  they  would 
have  presented  a  more  plausible  justification,  by  relying 
on  the  following  passage  of  Vattel's  law  of  nations.* 

"  If  the  nation  has  conferred  the  full  sovereignty  to  its 
conductor,  if  it  has  intrusted  to  him  the  care,  and,  with- 
out reserve,  given  him  the  right,  of  treating  and  con- 
tracting with  other  States,  it  is  considered  as  having 
invested  him  with  all  the  powers  necessary  to  make  a 
valid  contract.  The  prince  is  then  the  organ  of  the 
nation  ;  what  he  does  is  considered  as  the  act  of  the 
nation  itself;  and  though  he  is  not  the  owner  of  the 
public  property,  his  alienations  of  it  are  valid,  as  being 
duly  authorized." 

*  Vattel's  Laws  of  Nations,  Chap.  xxi.     Of  the  alienation  of  the  public  pro- 
perty,  or  the  domain,  and  that  of  a  part  of  a  State. 


LXL 


QUOTATION    FROM    VATTEL. 


33,1 


"The  question  becomes  more  distinct,  when  it  re- 
Jates,  not  to  the  aUenation  of  some  parts  of  the  pubhc 
property,  but  to  the  dismemberment  of  the  nation  or 
^tate  itself-the  cession  of  a  toAvn  or  a  province  that 
constitutes  a  part  of  it.  This  question,  however,  admits 
ot  a  sound  decision  on  the  same  principles.  A  nation 
ought  to  preserve  itself_it  ought  to  preserve  all  its 
membcrs-it  cannot  abandon  them ;  and  it  is  under  an 
engagement  to  support  lliem  in  their  rank  as  members 
of  the  nation  It  has  not,  then,  a  right  to  traffic  with 
their  rank  and  hberty,  on  account  of  any  advantages 
It  may  expect  to  derive  from  such  a  negotiation.    Thev 

hpr^rr  .r'  "T'^^""'  '^^  purpose  of  being  mem. 
bers  of  ,t-thcy  submit  to  the  autiiority  of  the  State,  for 
the  purpose  ot  promoting  in  concert  their  common  wel 
fare  and  safety,  and  not  of  being  at  its  disposal,  hke  a 
farm  or  a  herd  of  cattle.     But  the  nation  may  lawfully 
abandon  them  m  a  case  of  extreme  necessity;  and  she 
has  the  right  to  cut  them  off  from  the  body,  if  the  pub- 
ic safety  requires  it.     When,  therefore,  in  such  a  case, 
the  btate  gives  up  a  town  or  a  province  to  a  neighbour 
or  to  a  powerful  enemy,  the  cession  ought  to  remain 
valid  as  to  the  State,  since  she  has  a  right  to  make  it  • 
nor  can  she  any  longer  lay  claim  to  the  town  or  province 
thus  alienated,  since  she  has  relinquished  every  right 
she  could  have  over  them." 

"But  the  province  or  town  thus  abandoned  and  dis- 
membered from  the  State,  is  not  obliged  to  receive  the 
new  master  whom  the  State  attempts  to  set  over  it 
Being  separated  from  the  society  of  which  it  was  a 
member,  it  resumes  all  its  original  rights ;  and  if  it  be 
capable  of  defending  its  liberty  against  the  prince  who 
would  subject  it  to  his  authority,  it  may  lawfully  resist 
him.  1-rancis  I.  having  engaged,  by  the  treaty  of  Madrid, 
to  cede  the  Duchy  of  Burgundy  to  the  emperor  Charlee 


334 


THE   JUDGMENT. 


v.,  the  states  of  that  province  declared,  '  That,  having 
never  been  subject  but  to  the  crown  of  France,  they  ivould 
die  subject  to  it ;  and  that,  if  the  King  abandoned  them, 
they  would  take  up  arms  and  endeavor  to  set  themselves  at 
liberty,  rather  than  pass  into  a  new  state  of  subjection.^  It 
is  true,  subjects  are  seldom  able  to  make  resistance  on 
such  occasions ;  and,  in  genera],  their  wisest  plan  will 
be  to  submit  to  their  new  master,  and  endeavor  to 
obtain  the  best  terms  they  can." 

This,  indeed,  would  have  been  the  wisest  course  which 
the  colonists,  weak  as  they  were,  could  have  pursued, 
iind  it  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  they  did  not  do  so. 
Blood  would  not  have  been  uselessly  shed,  in  an  enter- 
prise in  which  success  was  materially  impossible. 

On  the  24th  of  October,  the  Court  found  the  prison- 
ers  guilty,  and  O'Reilly,  as  its  president,  pronounced  and 
signed  the  judgment,  which  read  thus : 

"  In  the  criminal  trial  instituted  by  the  order  of  the 
King,  our  Sovereign,  to  discover  and  punish  the  chiefs 
and  authors  of  the  conspiracy  which  broke  out  in  this 
colony,  on  the  29th  of  October  of  the  last  year,  (1768,) 
against  its  Governor  Don  Antonio  de  Ulloa,  all  the 
grounds  of  the  accusation  having  been  substantially  in- 
vestigated, according  to  the  due  forms  of  law,  between 
the  parties,— on  one  side,  the  Licentiate  Don  Felix  del 
Rey,  a  practising  advocate  before  the  royal  courts  of 
St.  Domingo  and  Mexico,  here  acting  in  his  capacity  of 
Attorney  General  appointed  by  me  for  the  King,  accord- 
ing to  the  royal  authority  vested  in  me,— and  on  the 
otherj  Nicholas  Chauvin  de  Lafreniere,  ex-Attorney 
General  for  the  King  of  France,  and  the  senior  member 
of  the  Superior  Council,  Jean  Baptiste  Noyan,  his  son- 
in-law,  Pierre  Caresse,  Pierre  Marquis,  Joseph  Milhet, 
an  attorney  to  the  memory  of  Joseph  Villere,  on  account 
of  this  culprit's  demise  in  prison,  Joseph  Petit,  Balthasar 


'.ajL. 


!i|: 


(I 
.J*    .. 

i:      HI         !l^ 


THE  JUDGMENT. 


335 


Masan  Juhen  Jerome  Doucet,  Pierre  Hardy  de  Bois- 
blanc,  Jean  Milhet  and  Pierre  Poupet,  accused  of  hav- 
ing participated  in  the  aforesaid  crime  and  in  the  subse- 
quent seditions  which  broke  out  against  the  Spanish 
govermr.^nt  and  nation ;  having  perused  the  information, 
deposit-ons  and  other  documents  inserted  in  the  proces 
verbal  ot  this  case ;  having  compared  the  confessions  of 
the  accused  with  the  papers  found  in  the  possession  of 
some  of  them,  and  by  them  acknowledged  as  theirs  : 
the  accused  being  heard  in  their  defence,  and  the  charges 
brought  against  them  being  accompanied  with  theirfe- 
spective  proofs;   having  heard  the  conclusions  of  the 
Attorney-General   in  his  bill  of  indictment ;  all  beincr 
examined  and  considered,  either  in  point  of  fact  or  ol" 
law,  m  a  case  replete  with  circumstances  so  grave  and 
so  extraordinary;  and  taking  into  consideration  all  that 
results  from  said  trial,  to  which  I  refer,  I  have  to  declare 
and  I  declare,  that  the  aforesaid  Attorney  General  has 
completely  proved  what  he  had  to  prove,  and  that  the 
accused  have  not  proved  and  established  the  allegations 
set  up  in  their  defence ;  that  they  have  made  out  no  ex- 
ception  which  frees  them  from  the  crime  imputed  to 
them,  and  still  less  saves  them  from  the  penalties  which 
according  to  our  laws,  they  have  incurred  for  their  re- 
spective shares  in  the  excesses  which  have  been  enume- 
rated  by  the  Attorney  General  Don  Felix  del  Rey  •  so 
that,  from  the  present,  I  have  to  condemn  and  I  do  con- 
demn  the  aforesaid  Nicolas  Chauvin  de  Lafreniere,  Jean 
Baptiste  Noyau,  Pierre   Caresse,  Pierre  Marquis  and 
Joseph  Mdhet,  as  being  the  chiefs  and  principal  movers 
ot    he  aforesaid  conspiracy,  to  the  ordinary  pain  of  the 
gallows,  which  they  have  deserved  by  the  infamy  of 
their  conduct,  and  ipso  jure,  by  their  participation  in  so 
horrible  a  crime,  and  to  be  led  to  the  place  of  execu- 
tion,  mounted  on  asses,  and  each  one  with  a  rope  round 


-  1 


336 


THE   JUDGMENT. 


his  neck,  to  be  tlicn  and  there  hung  until  death  ensue, 
and  to  remain  suspended  to  the  gallows  until  further 
orders  ;  it  being  hereby  given  to  be  understood  that  any 
one  having  the  temerity  of  carrying  away  their  bodies 
without  leave,  or  of  contravening,  in  whole  or  in  part, 
the  execution  of  this  very  same  sentence,  shall  suffer 
death.     And,  as  it  results  also  from  said  trial,  and  from 
the  declarations  of  the  aforesaid  Attorney  General,  that 
the  late  Joseph  Villere    stands  convicted,  likewise,  of 
having  been  one  of  the  most  obstinate  promoters  of  the 
aforesaid  conspiracy,  I  condemn,  in  the  same  manner, 
his  memory  to  be  held  and  reputed  for  ever  infamous ; 
and,  doing  equal  justice  to  the  other  accused,  after  hav- 
ing taken  into  consideration  the  enormity  of  their  crime, 
as  proved  by  the  trial,  I  condemn  the  aforesaid  Petit  to 
perpetual  imprisonment  in  such  a  castle  or  fortress  as  it 
may  please  his  Majesty  to  designate  ;  the  aforesaid  Bal- 
thasar  Masan  and  Julien  .Jerome  Doucet,  to  ten  years' 
imprisonment ;  and  Pierre   Hardy  de  Boisblanc,  Jean 
Milhet  and  Pierre  Poupct  to  six  years'  imprisonment ; 
with  the  understanding  that  none  of  them  shall  ever  be 
permitted  to  live  in  any  one  of  the  dominions  of  his  Ca- 
tholic Majesty,  reserving  to  myself  the  care   to  have 
every  one  of  these  sentences  provisionally  executed,  and 
to  cause  to  be  gathered  up  together  and  burnt  by  the 
hand  of  the  common  hangman,  all  the  printed  copies  of 
the  document  entitled  '  Memorial  of  the  planters,  mer- 
chants, and  other  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  on  the  event 
of  the  29th  of  October,  1768,'  and  that  all  other  publi- 
cations relative  to  said  conspiracy  be  dealt  with  in  the 
same  manner ;  and  I  have  further  to  decree,  and  I  do 
decree,  in  conformity  with  the  same  laws,  that  the  pro- 
perty of  every  one  of  the  accused  be  confiscated  to  the 
profit  of  the  King's  treasury ;  and  judging  definitively, 
I  pronounce  this  judgment,  with  the  advice  of  Doctor 


APPEALS   TO  o'nEII,LY. 


337 


Don  Maimol  lose  ,le  Urn.ti,-,,  Auditor  of  war  and  of  tl>o 
navy,  for  the  harbor  and  city  of  Havana,  and  the  spodal 

authority  ;  and  km  foes,  as  well  as  those  of  the  officers 
om^oyed  .n  th„  trud,  shall  he  paid  out  of  the  confiscated 
l)roperty,  m  the  manner  prescribed  by  law." 

Signed,  Ai.EXANDi:ii  0'Reii,i,y. 

Countersigned,        Manuel  Jose  de  UitiiuTU. 

Wiien  this  sentence  was  known,  the  offects  which  it 
produced  can  easily  be  conceive.!.  The  most  st  ^0. 
efforts  were  made,  to  obtain  from  O'lteilly  that  its  eve 
cution  be  suspended  until  «„  „pp„„|  ^<,  ^,i  ^^  „  f  _,^;^ 
clemency  of  Charles  III.  With  the  same  gentlenes 
of  manner  which  characterised  all  his  act,,,  but  wi  h  t|  e 

2h     ..  ^rl""  "'  ""'''"'""""  ""tcTminationT      t- 
plied  :  "  Tha    the  Court  had  given  its  decisiou,  and  that 
..was  final ,  that  be  had  merely  presided  over  tlie  Court 
but  that,  according  to  lus  plighted  faith  ami  well-known 

that  of  taking  care  that  the  accused  bo  as  favorahlv 
treated  as  possible  ;  that  he  had  strictly  and  lionora  ly 
kept  Ins  word  ;  that  he  could  do  no  more  ,•  that  he  lad 
.n«  ructions  which  he  could  not  disregard,  imd  wh  c|  if 

I  'ills  "Z'T;''"'  '■"  '"""■^  •"  "'-  "»™''"<'  ■■""■ '"  tl-ir 
riends;  that  those  instructions  ordered  him  to  proceed 
to  an  immediate  execution  of  the  sentence  of  the  Court 
whatever  1,  might  be,  and  that  he  would  do  so,  in  con-' 
orniity  with  bis  duty,  however  painful  it  might  be  to  l"s 

lathers  <    brothers  had  remained  faithful  to  the  Spanish 
eausc,  thought  that,  owing  to  this  circumstancer tiey 
might    perhap.,    exercise  some  influence  over  General 
O  He  lly ;  and  finding  their  way  to  him,  they  made  a  pas 
6i«natc  appeal  m  favor  of  the  condom^edlsuch  an  ap. 

22  '^ 


:w8 


HIS  iM"i,i;xiniiJTY, 


|)(vil  as  llu!  rcinah'  lirart  alone  can  iiusj)iro.  'I'lion;  wt>iv 
more  tlian  oik*  Lady  T\Iar«ian't  and  one  Miss  I'Mitli  WvU 
Iciidcn,  who,  Avifli  iVanics  (r(Mnl)lin<^  with  anxiety,  |)()ur(>d 
ont  their  souls  in  supplications  to  O'Keilly.  Likr 
(irahani  or(Mav(>rhousi>,  whos(>  eharacttr  bore  coiisi(l(>r- 
al)le  allinitv  to  his  own,  he  resisted  their  intercessions 
with  the  most  (vxipiisitj'  politeness,  but  Avitli  an  inexora- 
ble teni|)er,  although  ho  was,  at  that  «iin(>,  hardly  nior<> 
than  thirty-lour  years  old,  therefore  in  the  prini(>  of  life, 
and  still  at  that  aye  whei;  the  soul  of  man  is  not  v«'t  to 
be  supposed  st«M<le(l  a<rainst  the  t(>ars  of  \\oman  and  the 
soft  emotioi\s  of  pity  and  o»>nerosity.  it  is  said  that 
sonio  of  the  Spanish  oHici>rs,  and  particularly  Loyola. 
(Jayarn>  and  Navarro,  actinjr  under  the  iidluence  of  their 
own  feelini2;s,  and  the  promptin<>s  of  thos(^  fri(Muls, 
whom,  durintr  a  residi-ncc;  of  nearly  three  years  in  the 
colony,  they  had  made  to  themselves  anions;'  the  l''n>nc"» 
poi>nlation,  advised  O'Keilly  to  assunu^  the  r<>sponsibility 
of  snsp(>ndin<];  the  (>xocution   of   the   Court's  jud<j;ment. 


until  furl  I 


ler  or( 


lers  1 


)(>  receiv«>d  fromSi)aiii;  but,  all  their 


aj)plications  remained  fruitless,  and  it  was  soon  asc<M'- 
tained  that  \\\c  doom  of  the  accused  was  ,s(^aled,  'I'he 
sentxMice  had  b(>en  rendered  on  the  'J  1th  of  October, 
and  it  becanu'  known  that  those  who  w(M(>  condennied 
to  death,  would  be  executcnl  on  the  next  day. 

If  tradition  is  to  1>(>  beli(>ved,  0'K<>illy,  although  in- 
xible  in  appearance,  was  s(>cretly  moved  to  compas- 
sion in  favor  of  Noyau,  the  son-in-law  of  Lafreniere. 
Tins  <fentleman  had  lately  been  married,  and  his  youth, 
his  inexperienc«'  aiul  other  circnmstanc(>s,  j)leade(l  as 
strongly  in  his  favor  as  the  numerous  friends  who  left 
no  means  untried  to  sav(>  him.  ('(M'tain  words  which 
dro|)|)«>d  from  the  (ieneral's  mouth  yav(>  it  to  be  under- 


th 


stood  that  the 


escajx*  of  this  prisoiuT  would  be  conniv(>d 


at.     Uut  Noyan,  on  being  informed  of  it,  heroically  ro- 


I 


'I'lin    NKcnil   JKAMVOT. 


339 


I    M-,1     (,,    „v,„      |,„„S,.||    „(•  ,|,i»     f„vo,.,,l,|„     ,i„. ,,„„,„ 

•'t::::''''''  '•" '■  "-i-«i,hin,  ,,..„„.„.  ■ 

I  iMi,..„l,  „l,„  «,„l,.  „  „,„.|i   „„    |,,„„,si,„m    l„   17V. 

;■;;:,  ;;'f ";;." ""  '•'•^'"'•■■•■lv •■."-i  ,-.n,,.,„.,„,iv-,iii,.,i  C 

m   ,,,.n.,,,|,,,,,.,lv  ,,,n,..,M,,,,  n,v,,,..     f..,,  l|,         '      J 
M UlKH.,vm-,«,.r „.n„i,K.,l  ,„  ll.r..,.  ,,,,,7^ 

h  .,  „  nnMn,Mo  ,lu.  ,Wuc,.  ,vlH..  h,Mv.,  ,..i,:,,|    ;    ' .; 
•    '  .'»  ll^".K"nn,  l,„  s|,„«,,|   „,  ,|„,  „»s,,,„|,|,,|  ,„„|,i|,„, 

"■  ' ^"•''''y  '"  "iH'l.  IK^  wns,  ,..  |,oWi.n„  ,1,.  1,1- 

'",""";'"« V:  '"'"•     ■'''"■''''■■•"<-l'w..r.  .„n,d/      I, 

'''""■^"'""■■""l-''"-'"""l»Ms„p„„i,„..,lov..rxo,.r    ,    • 
"" "7«  '"■l'>"K"iK  I"  <Ur.  ,„,„|,,„,y.     S„„.,.    I,  „    „; 

:„;""",  """••  "    "•'■.V   ""|.<.li(i,-   ,„•,,  ,:„„»i/  i„„      , 

m«l.l  I"-  w,  ln,„  („  ,|,,.,|,„rs,.  ,|„,„,,  ,i,„.,i„„s.     N„„„ 
"«-v,.,-,  u m,„„,,i,  „  W,,U  ,-,.wa,-,l  ,v„.  „ll-,.r,.,l,  ,„■,.,.,,     i 
""', '  !'  -^  ""' "•    (-"•^ -.,(ly, ,;,.  Alton,;.  (.V,iu 

o  ;,;^:, '''^^■' '"''.'"•''"' ^         - 


this  Diet,  iind  bo 


<'(l  lii 


u 


^/^^^•(•(Niim,  on  account  or  IJie  i 


ni{)OHsi)»iJity 


310 


ICXIUTTION    OF    Tin:    l>UISO!Si':i(M. 


orcx(MMi(iii<i;  (he  ori^jfinal  sentences  ofllm  (^oiirt,  to  Imvo 
th(>  j)ris()iH'rs  nliot,  l)iit  without  removing  ilic  infjuuy 
vvliich  would  have  resulted  I'roui  tli(>ir  Hull'erinjj^  dentil  on 
the  irallows.  O'Reilly  iissiMitetl  to  this  re«|U(^st,  juul 
Francisco  Xavier  l{o<lriiruez,  tlH>  clerk  of  the  C'ourt,  <lr(!W 
Ji  jiroccss  verbal  ol  the  ex(>cution,  which  took  place  in 
liis  presence,  at  thr(>e  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  It  ap- 
pears by  this  |)roc<\ss  verbal  that  Nicolas  Chauvin  dc 
Lafrenicre,  Pierre  Manpiis,  .Ios(>ph  iMilhet,  .l(Min  IJaptisto 
Noyan  and  Pierre  Caresse,  beinjr  tak«Mi  out  of  |)rison, 
and  with  their  arms  well  pinioniMl,  were  conducted,  und*^' 
u  heavy  escort  of  jj^renadiers,  to  the  places  of  »\\(U'ution, 
which  was  occupied  by  a  hw^^c  body  of  Spanish  troops 
formini;  a  s(|uare.  The  prisoners  beintjf  introduced  into 
the  middle  of  this  sipians  Uodri«rue/,,  th(^  clerk  of  the 
Court,  road  to  them  their  sentenct?  in  Spanish,  and  it  was 
then  repeated  to  them  in  I'riMJch  by  ll(MH-y  (Jardc^rat, 
assisted  by  two  other  interpreter's,  Jean  nai)tisto  (Jaric, 
and  the  Lieutenant  i^f  artillery,  Juan  Kely,  who  had  all 
been  specially  appointed  by  O'Reilly  to  act  as  inter- 
preters on  the  trial.  Then  a  copy  of  the  sentence  was 
delivered  into  the  hands  of  the  public  crier,  who  went 
round,  and  n^ad  it  to  all  th(>  troo|>s  and  to  th(>  j)(!opl(i,  in 
a  loud  and  intelli<iible  voice.  After  these  preliminaries 
were  over,  the  last  act  of  the  drama  was  performed,  and 
the  well  directed  fu*e  of  a  platoon  of  grenadii^rs  ended 
the  lives  of  those  unfortunates  men.  It  is  said  that  they 
met  their  fate  with  unshaken  fortitude. 

On  the  ne\t  day,  the  2()th  of  October,  the  same 
Rodritruez  caused  to  be  burnt,  on  the  public  s(juare,  all 
the  copies  of  the  "  Memorial  of  the  IMante^rs,  merchants 
and  other  inhabitants  of  Louisiana,"  which  had  been 
discovered  and  gathered  up  together. 

Masan  juid  his  comi)aiuons  were  innnediately  trans- 
ported to  Havana,  and  imprisoned  in  fort  Moro.     It  may 


'\v      m 


nr.ATii  OF  AiinRY. 


Ml 


1)0  lis  wc^ll  to  states  now  that  i|,(>  son  of  Masnn  vv(M.t  to 
iMadnd,  threw  hin.Hcn'at  th<>  liM-t  ofthc  Kin^r,  and  hcra.-d 
that  hiH  lathi'r  ho  pardorwd,  or  that  he  he  |)erniitt('^<rto 
take  that  fath.M-'s  ,,la(•<^  The  prayer  of  this  ^n-nerons 
yonn^K  ,„,in,  which  was  warmly  Hupporf(>(l  hy  th(^  l-Veneh 
atrd)assador,  to.ieh(>(l  (he  Kin^r,  who  frn,nt(Ml  a  full  pardon, 
not  only  to  Masan,  hut  also  (o  |)„„r,.i,  Moishlane,  Milhot, 
lonpetand  IVtit.  Non..  ofih.M..  relurn.ul  to  Louisiana, 
and  It  IS  heli(.v<.(l  Ihat  tli,>y  went  to  n^side  at  the  (.'ap 
rranvais  in  St.  Doininjro. 

Auhry  I(>rt  l^onisiana   for  Hordeaux  in  the  hri.r;,ntine 
call(>d  the  l\-rr  <te  Famillr.     'Vhh  vessel  had  .Mit.Ted  the 
river  Caroline,  when  she  in,.t  a  lieavy  storm  and  went 
down,  near  the  Tow(T  of  Cordo.iaii,  will,  all  on  hoard 
savo  the  eaptain,  a  physician,  a  ser^r,>;,nt  and  two  sail- 
ors, who  siicc<>e(l.'d  in  reachinnr  iho  |,md  i,,  safety.     The 
Kinor,  in  ord(>r  to  show  how  much  he  appreciated  the 
services  of  Auhry,  ^rraiited  a  pension  to  tlu«  hrolher  and 
to  the  sister  of  that  officer.     Aiil)ry,  |)ofbre  his  departure 
from    r.oiiisiana,  had  heen  oflVred   a  liiol,  un.d,.  i,,  the 
Spanish  army,  as  a,  token  of  safisfiictioii  at  th(>  lil)(>ral 
coiirs,>  which  he  had  pursued  towards  that  nation  in  the 
colony,  hut  he  refus(>d,  on  the  ^rr(,„„,|  ,i,.,t  ho  intended 
to  devote  tli('  remnant  of  his  <lays  to  the  service  of  hia 
native  country.     Sonu^  then;  W(!re   who  thought   that 
those  whom  they  loved  so  dearly,  had  unjustly  sullered 
mostly  m  cons(>,iuence  of  the  imprudent"  denunciations 
of  that  oflicer  and  of  his  servility  to  (VReilly  and  the 
Spaniards.     |{y   thcMii    his   melancholy  end  was   looked 
upon  as  an  act  of  the  retrihutive  justice  of  Heaven. 

It  is  relat(Ml  that,  amoii<r  tli(>  confiscated  slaves  of  J.a- 
freniere,  there  was  oik;  named  Artus,  who  had  tlu^  re- 
putation of  heina  an  adinirahle  cook.  ()'l{eilly  sent  for 
Artus,  and  said  to  him  :"  You  are  now  the  Kin<r  of 
Spain's  property.     Until  you  are  sold,  you  shall  hc^ny 


M. 


342 


COMMENTS   ON    THE  EXECUTION. 


cook."  "  You  hud  hotter  change  your  miiul,"  answered 
the  negro.  "  I  would  poison  him  who  ordered  my  master 
to  he  killed."  It  is  also  reported  that  one  of  Caresse's 
slaves,  whose  name  was  Cupidon,  and  who  was  an  excel- 
lent house  servant,  refused  peremptorily  to  perform  these 
functions  for  O'Reilly,  hecause,  as  he  holdly  said,  "  he 
would  not  serve  his  master's  assassin."  O'Reilly  seemed 
to  ap|)reciate  the  noble  sentiment  which  actuated  tliese 
faithful  slaves,  and  dismissed  them,  without  resenting  the 
determination  which  they  had  both  so  fearlessly  ex- 
pressed. If  these  anecdotes  are  true,  they  show  that 
negroes  are  capable  of  heroic  attachment  for  those  that 
hold  them  in  bondage,  and  that  O'Reilly  was  not  a  man 
of  an  unamiable  disposition. 

The  bloody  execution  which  took  place  in  Louisiana 
caus(Hl  a  good  deal  of  excitement  in  France,  and  it  seems 
that  the  French  government  instructed  its  agents  in 
Spain,  to  ascertain  what  effect  it  had  produced  on  the 
Spaniards  themselves.  I  have  under  my  eye  a  letter 
Avritten  to  one  of  the  French  ministers  by  a  Mr.  De- 
puyabrc,  a  French  agent  at  Cadix,  in  ansAver  to  the  in- 
quiries which  had  been  addressed  to  him,  and  in  which 
.he  says :  "  All  the  relations  of  that  event,  which  Avere 
sent  from  Louisiana  to  Havana,  agree  in  blaming  the 
rigor  with  Avhich  General  O'Reilly  punished  the  most 
distinguishcii  citizens  of  Louisiana.  The  Spaniards 
here,  and  others,  whatever  nation  they  bclong^pl  to,  have 
expressed  their  detestation  of  such  an  act.  You  know 
better  than  any  body  else  what  were  the  orders  of  which 
O'Reilly  was  the  bearer,  and  you  can  thereby  judge 
whether  that  officer  kept  himself,  or  not,  within  the 
sphere  of  his  powers." 

It  must  be  recollected  that  the  Marquis  of  Grimaldi, 
on  the  depjirture  of  O'Reilly  from  Spain  for  Louisiana, 
had  sent  to  the  Count  of  Fuentes,  the  Spanish  ambassa- 


COMMENTS   ON    THE    EXECUTION. 


liti 


dor  at  the  Court  of  Versailles,  a  despatch  whiclj  was 
intended  to  he  hiid  helbre  tho  French  ministry,  and  in 
which  he  had  siiid :  « It  seemed  proper  to  invest  J)on 
Alexandro  O'Reilly  with  these  extensive  powers,  on 
account  of  the  distance  at  which  we  are  from  that  coun- 
try. But,  i.s  the  Kin«r,  whose  character  is  well  known, 
is  always  inclined  to  he  mild  and  clement,  he  has  ordered 
O'Reilly  to  he  informed  that  his  will  was,  that  a  lenient 
course  be  pursued  in  the  colony,  and  that  expulsion  from 
it  be  the  only  punishment  inflicted  on  those  who  have 
deserved  a  more  severe  one." 

It  would   seem,  from   this   document,  that   O'Reilly 
should  have  contented  himself  with  having  expelled  from 
the  colony  those  who  had  deserved  a  severer  punishment 
—for  instance  the  pain  of  death.     But  were  the  instruc- 
tions shown  to  the  Court  of   France  and  those  really 
given  to  O'Reilly  of  the  same  nature  ?     That  is  the  ques- 
tion.    If  O'Reilly  received  the  instructions  which  are 
mentioned  in  the  despatch  of  the  Manjuis  of  Grimaldi, 
would  he  have  dared  to  disobey  them,  and  would  he, 
when  such  strong  appeals  were  made  to  him  to  save  the 
lives  of  I.afreniere  and  his  companions,  have  had  the 
unblushing  (slfrontery,  on  refusing  thiit  boon,  to  plead 
the  orders  of  the  King,  and  thus,  falsely,  to  throw  upon 
his  sovereign  the  odium  of  a  measure,  which  was  con- 
trary  to   the  expressed   will   of   that  very   sovereign? 
Had    he    assumed    this    responsibility,   on   account   of 
some    miforeseen  circumstances  c/  reasons,  would   he 
not  have  accounted  for  those  circumstances  or  reasons 
in  his  despatches  to  his  govern.nent?      But,  far  from 
using  the  language  of  ai)ology  or  exculpation,  for  having 
acted  with  severity,  in  violation  of  his  positive  instruc- 
tions, he,  on  the  contrary,  applauds  himself  for  the  ex- 
treme lenity  of  the  course  he  pursued.     This  is  demon- 
strated by  the  despatch  which  he  sent  to  the  Marquis 


Mi 


I)i:SI»AT<*II    OF    O  IIKIM.Y    T«)    (JKINAM)!. 


ofCJi-iiiialdi,  (o  ^i\v.  an  uccoimt  oCiIki  closiiitr  ofllic  triiil 
Jind  ol' {\\v  rxcciilion  oflhi^  Hrntvrico  ()flln>  ('ourt : 

"TIh>  M-ial  wliicli  l)('(rari  licnV'  nuid  he,  "a^ruiriHl   tlu- 
twvUv  cliicls,  movers  and  ac(oiiij)li(M's  of  (lu;   inHurror.- 
tioii  wliich   look  place   in  this   proviiuu',  is   at  an   end. 
Six  of  tlu'in,  having'  des<'i'ved  d(>alli,  \v(>i('  sentenc(>d  to 
he  lnni;,s  l,ut  one  of  these  eidprits  huvin<,Mlie(l  in  |)iison, 
iive  only  wi-rv,  executed,  and,  as  there  is  no  ex(>cntion(T 
liero,  they  were   shot   on  the  'Jfith  of  this  month  (Octo- 
ber), at  three  o'clock  of  the  afternoon.     The  six  otluMVS 
were  s(Mitenced  »o  he  impris()n«>d  in  one  of  the  Kin«r's  cas- 
tles, that  is,  one  for  life,  two  lor  ten  years  and  three  for 
six  years,  and  llie  j)roperly  of  th<'  twelve  was  conliscatiMl." 
"The  six  who  w<>re  sentenced  to  he    imprisoned  will 
be  sent  to  day  to  one  of  the  forts  at   Havana.     1  trans- 
luit  t(.  the  Captain  (Jeneral  of  that  place  a  copy  of  the 
jud<jrment,  in  order  that   he  may  proceed  to  carry  it  into 
execution." 

"The  property  of  llies(«  prisoners  had  l)(>en  seques- 
trated, from  the  be^rim,in<r  of  their  trial.  I  hav(;  just 
^Mven  the  necessary  orders  lor  the  li<iui(lation  of  said 
property  in  accordance  with  the  laws,  in  order  that  what 
belonjrs  to  the  widows  and  oth(>r  creditors  may  he  jrjven 
to  them,  and  the  balance  be  delivered  up  into  the  Kind's 
treasury,"  79"°^ 

"  This  judjrment  wipes  off  entirely  tlu?  insidt  iWo\o 
the  di<rnity  and  authority  of  the  kitiir  in  this  province, 
and  cli(<cks  the  ellects  of  the  bad  example  which  had 
been  ^iven  to  the  subjects  of  his  Mtijesty.  livery  body 
acknowledjres  the  necessity,  the  justice,  and  the 
clemency  of  this  judjvmenl,  which  sets  uj)  an  examj)le 
ever  to  be  remembered.  W  hat  renders  it  still  more 
efficacious,  is  the  dilijrence  with  which  this  affiiir  was 
conducted,  and  the  incontestabii>  natun;  of  the 
evidence  on  which  tins  judgment  was  founded. 


KKKMNCJS    AND    IDKAN   OF    TIIK    Vim:. 


;m5 


'I  Will  trcal,  lor  \\w  r.itnr,.,  willi  ini.rkcMl  ^ron||rn.«ss 

all  tlios,.  wliosi;r,H.(|  tiM,  r(;(M•(^s,>I,tiltionH  nddrcsscd  to  Iho 

i oimcil,  and  it  udl  l.(>  u  <rn,,t  consohitioi.  to  tlio  puldic, 

to  know  that   I  Himll   irav  in  this  colony  no  iminlid 

••<'<u>lloc(ion  or  that  an(laci<MiH  onlra^r,..     [  vviH  ronci- 

liat(,  and  tran«|.iilli/(.  the  |Md.li<-  mind  l>v  all  tlM>  nin.ns 

"'   my  i.ou.M-,  and  nolhin^r  will  !„.  n.orc  conducive,  to 

<I"H   r,.d,   tha„   (o   h-t   the   pco|,|,.   know,  that  all   past 

occnrrcnc.-s  shall  h,.  Coroottcn,  and  that  every  one  shall 

voce.vo  ironi  the  aovc^nnu^nt  the  protection  and  favor 

wnich  he  may  deserve."  ' 

This  candid  e.vposiiion  whirh  O'Reilly  mad.,  of  his 
scntmienis  proves,  Ihat  he  thon;^r|,t  hi,„.s,.ir  enlill,.(l  to 
,"""'''  ;•'•''''".  '■<>'•  >''^'  l^'"!':'  "(•  liiH  acts.  E„cn,hnd,,,  says 
1.0  wnh  (>xnltali(,n,  nrhmoU^^rs  H,r.  nrrrssin/,  the  jnsfL 
and  the  rlnnrnn,  of  this  j,>,fo;nrnl,  whirl,  svis  an  r.ramulr. 
nrr  to  he  rnunnhnrd.  And  it  mnst  not  he  for-ron,.,, 
Iliat  (;()V(>rnor  Anhry,  writing  to  his  (,wn  froverm.ient, 
takes  the  same  vnnv  of  the  course,  of  action  adopted  oy 

0  licilly.  /  hniw  the  honor,  said  hn  to  the  l<^rench  minis- 
tor,  o/  ,rndm<r  a  list  of  the  small  mnnhrr  of  those  whom 
the  ^rneral  was    indis,,ensahh,  oh/i,.rd  to    'law,    arrested. 

1  his  proves  his^rnerosit,/  and  the  kindness  of  his  heart,  eon- 
stder,no-  that  there  are  many  others,  whose  eriminal  eondnel 
would  luwe  justified  their  hein^r  treated  in  the  same  manner. 

lojnd^re  (...irly  of  the  feelin^rs  ..nd  ideas  of  these 
inon,  we  nmst  transport  ourselves  back  to  the  days  in 
which  th(,y  lived,  w(,  must  adopt  the  turn  of  mind  which 
odncation,  habits  and  associations  had  ^iven  them,  and 
we  must  become  impregnated  with  the  pohfical,  social 
and  moral  atmosphere  in  which  they  hud  been  born.  In 
this  ajre,  the  treatment  whicli  was  indicted  on  Lafre- 
niere  and  his  companions  may  bo  looked  upon  as  tinned 
with  cruelty,  if  appnM-iated  with  our  modern  f(>elin.rs  of 
humanity,  and  with  those  notions  of  ri.rht  and  wr'^on.r. 


3U\ 


i'i:i:i,iN«JN  AM>  M>i:\N  ov  tiii;  timi: 


IfiW 


tii 


wU'nh  now  |>n'Viiil  llir()iiij[li<»iil  ili(>  civili/cd  world.  In 
ls:)|,  F-alVciiirrr  and  his  iuM()in|»li((«s  would  not,  |>rol>ii- 
bly,  liiivr  luHMi  condniuu'd  lo  mi  i«,'nominious  dratli,  for 
<lonii>-  wlial  IIm'v  did  in  17(>8.  Tliry  lind  n'sintcd  iho 
rxiM-ciso  of  ixmcrs  which  I  hey  (hon^jht  oppn'ssivc!  to 
tluMii,  nnd  which  W(Mt<  wielded  hy  aii  olliccr,  whom  th(>y 
hciicvcd  t(>  [»(«  clolh(>d  with  dnhioiis  anlhorilv  ;  lh(>v  hiid 
r(\soi-(«<(l  fo  vwiy  inciins,  even  violence,  not  (o  he 
severed  iVoin  that  kin<,'d>>ni,  to  whi<'h  the  colony  was 
indehled  for  its  hirlh.  IJnt  tln-y  had  .shed  no  l)lood  ; 
and  when  e.\|)(Mience  <hMnonslraled  lo  them  that  their 
scheni(>s  ol'heinfr  re.aime.\(>d  to  l'ranct>,  or  to  set  n|)  for 
theniselv(>s  nnder  an  independent  jioverinnent,  were 
visionary  ;  when  O'KtMlly  arrived  with  such  lorces  as  it 
wonid  liav(>  heen  madiu^ss  to  co|)(«  with,  they  tend(>n'd, 
at  once,  their  lidl  and  entin*  submission  to  the  ••■overn- 
meat  of  Spain.  Il  must  l)e  recollected,  however,  that  a 
century  ayo,  the  sli<>Iit(>sl  athMupt  against  royal  author- 
ity was  considered  as  one  of  the  most  heinous  crime.'* 
that  could  l)e  commilted,  and  was  punished  with  a 
severity,  which  now  would  not  he  tolerated  hy  |)ul)l 
opinion;  and  that  ollences  Avhich  thei 
deserve  death,  would  not  now  he  th 


w 


1  W(>r(!  (I(>enu'd  to 


«'  cans(!  even  ol 


put- 
tinjr  a  man  on  his  trial.     It  is  not  astonishinir  ther(>lbrc 


that    hoth   Anhry  and    (Vileilly   should    I 


iav(>    noiuvs 


tly 


thouiiht  that,  to  pick  out  of  the  rehellions  colonist 
tw(>l\(>  lea(i(>rs  only,  six  of  whom  should  l)(>  shot,  and  six 
imprisoned  tor  a  <^rea!eror  lesser  period  of  time,  and  to 
<]frant  a  full  and  unconditional  pardon  to  the  rest,  was  an 
extremely  merciful  act.  Hesides,  there  is  no  douht  hut 
that  O'Reilly  was  moved  hy  considc^-ations  of  |)()licy. 
As  Spain  did  not  int(>nd  to  keei)  ui)  a  lai'ije  military 
lorce  in  l.ouisiana,  it  was  necessary  to  produce  such  an 

•  •  .  '  •■I 

impression  on  its  iidiahitants,  as    to  |)revent  the  rejx'ti- 


tion  of  what  had  occurred  ;  and  above  all,  it 


was  ex 


pc- 


VUMWK   OF    lun.niTY    A13AIN.ST   o'uilIM.V.        .{fT 


<liciiJ  ( 

to  (h'Icr  Ihcm  Iroi 


'>  H(>(  n  Hjiliitiiiyrxiimplc  bcfon.  Ilio  otlirr  col 


Ionics. 


II  siiiiiliir  «Mi((>r|)iiscH,  and  to  show, 


(lie  liiiinjnnjr,.  iis,.,|  |,y   (|„.  |)„|^,.  ,,|-  ,^|,|,,^  j„  j, 
<>|»iiiioii  oil  iIh;  iiHuirs  of  l.on 


III 


ic  U'lllf(;n 


'•»  IIk'  Ivin^r  ,iH  ,1  m,.|nl),.|'  of  |,is  ciJ 


isiiiiiii  uiiic.li  Ii(>  pn'Mcnlcd 


/k'/K 


ton/  to  the  rrspcrl  dttr  to  tli 


•iiK't  :  lliitl   the  /• 


w  and  was  ahlr  to  rrf,nssan,,  aUnnfU  w/,alnrr,  d 


Ilia 


rroaa- 


S 


royal  aiit/inrifi/. 


;."""  «l"''-<'  ;ur  wlioiic,nKH(,0'|{nllyoVln.;u-|irrv  nii,! 


<"i  JKToiint  ,,r  il„.  inlcr|)r,.|,iUioM  wliicli' i| 


ic 


(lii|»Ii<'ity 

p"' "" ti'«- mnrkr.i  ,iviii(i,.s  wiiidi 'i,,r,;,,;n;;;.;;;j "I,;';! 

<"H(  ..rs  ol  II,.  ii.s.invc.tioii,  whni  lli,.y  w,.,v  inli-o,lnc..,l 
•<>   iimi,   and   oil    ||i(.    ^.^^^ 
nliicli  li('  iiddrcsscd  lo  il 


<!    r\c(M'< 


liiiMly 


M'l.y     <-01irl(M>l|S      liiniriliKT 

O         r^ 


sc 


K'ln.     Tliry  liclic.vc  f|i;il  iIk 
in(M.    had   ;,,  i-,;^I,|^  ,„  in(;,r  n-on,  ()M(,.illy's  dr,,oMi,i,.,.l, 

tt«'ii,  and   tliiit    lln'y 


lliul    llie 


ir   |)!ist    i]vvi\s    wen;    (onr( 


would  not 


liill<>d 
h 


»<;  l»'-')ii!rlit  to  trial;  it   is  said  tlinl   (rUciJIy 


"'<"'.'>  "Ho  s(<ciii-ily,  in  „r<|,.,-  to  kcoo  tl 


IS  rcjudi,  and  to  prcvcMit  tlicin  I 


j)  tliciii  within 


ill  <hi,dil,  until  he  should  I 


roin  sockiiiHT  (|„,i,.  salnly 


liiiKS  iill  the  (diicis  of  the  hit 


><;  n'lidy  to  iiiTcst,  ;i(  the  same 


siii<r|(Ml  out.     'I'l 


K'sc  suppositions  d 


<!  n'vohition  whom  h,.  had 


('nv«>  SOItK!    Sl|-(MI<rtll 


'<  M  tni,.,  iVon,  the  opinion  (..vpro.s.snd  by  I{o,ih.niy,  I 


««'M  !i  Spanish  ofliccr,  \vl 
bet 


iiin- 


',  wlio  was  pr(\sont  at  tlu;  iiitorv 


worn  the  delegates  of  tho  colonists  and  () 
tlie  lhiliz(>,  and  who  snid  :  //,„/  i/, 
nnth 
h  is 


unv 


,iJ:ood  hojirs  that  Ih 


'irir 


not  iistonishini.-,  thcrcfoi-ii,  that  La( 


Kfilly,  at 

'ir  srnirral  sc„l  ihci  hack- 

l>nsl  faults  should  he  for^yoHcn. 


and  Milh<>t 


t(>riii 


slionid  have  shared  with  Honl 


•Miicrc,  M!tn|iii,' 


1?   impression.- 


TIk! 


;''<'-'lmted  to  ()'Jl<MlIy  ,ni,y  have  b( 


i<,Miy  such  Il;it- 
«<'cr(>t   intentioiiH   of  d(M;eit 


.l"^tice   to  him,  it  must  I 


conrt(\sv  of  his   In 


(ui  true,  but  still,  in 
)<>  HMiiarked  that  the  extreme 


siiflicient,  of  itself,  t 


ii^iiaire  nnd  of  his  deportment  is  not 


o  warrant  the  conclusion  that  it  w; 


dictate({  by  (luj>li(;ijy.     ft 

"'^fnil  tone  ol"  the  hi<rh  bred  yc^'tlomcn'of The'umc 


wiis,  on  the  like  occ 


fisio 


lis,  tl 


348 


ANECDOTE   OF    CARDINAL    RICHELIEU. 


although  it  may  sound  to  us  as  smacking  of  dissimula- 
tion, or  affectation.  Numerous  other  instances  might 
b*^  cited  of  the  wrong  interpretations  to  be  given  to  the 
actions  and  language  of  the  men  of  past  ages,  if,  as  I 
have  already  observed,  we  judge  of  them  according  to 
the  criterion  of  our  present  usages  and  customs.  I  will, 
m  illustration  of  my  assertion,  select  one  instance  only, 
which  is  striking. 

The  Cardinal  of  Richelieu  had  been,  for  many  years, 
presiding,   as   prime    minister,   over    the   destinies    of 
Fronce,  and  had  defeated  more  than  one  conspiracy 
against   his   life   and    power,   formed    by   the   highest 
nobility,  by  the  mother,  and  the  brother  of  the  king, 
who  hated  the  state  of  insignificance  to  which  that 
master  mind  had  reduced  them,  and  often  by  the  king 
himself,  who  used  to  become  their  secret  accomplice, 
when  in  one  of  his  fits  of  disgust  at  the  thraldom  in 
which  he  was  kept  by  his  proud  and  domineering  min- 
ister.    Now  that  the  cardinal  was  broken  down  by  dis- 
ease and  fast  approaching  his  grave,  his  enemies  again 
lost   patience,   and   gathered   under   the  leadership  of 
young  Cinq-Mars,  who  had  become  the  favorite  of  the 
weak  king.     Hardly  had  the  conspiracy  been  set  on 
foot,  when  the  wily  cardinal  had  become  acquainted 
with  all  its  workings.     Determined  to  strike  a  last  blow, 
which  would  be  so  crushing  that  it  would,  for  the  future, 
put  an  end  to  such  enterprises,  he  appeared  to  be  wrap- 
ped up  in  fancied  security,  waiting  patiently,  for  two 
years,  with  the  self-confidence  of  genius,  until  the  fruit 
of  his  revenge  be  ripe,  before  he  plucked  it.     Only  on 
the  eve  of  the  breaking  out  of  the  conspiracy  was  it, 
that,  although  in  a  dying  condition,  he  came  out  in  his 
strength  of  mind,  if  not  of  body,  and  with  one  single 
thrust  of  his  crippled  foot,  demolished  instantaneously 
the  structure  which  had  been  so  laboriously  erected 


ANECDOTE    OF  CARDINAL   RICHELIEU. 


349 


against  h™.  He  terrified  the  king  out  of  his  little  ,vits 
brought  down  almost  to  hi,  l<„ees  the  kingrvfe 
bro  l,er,  Gaston  D'Orleans,  to  ask  pardon  for  hfs  sha  e 
in  tlie  conspiracy,  and  annihilated  all  those  of  his  ene 

Mars  and  De  Thou  were  those  he  had  particularly  si  - 
ged  out  for  his  vengeance.    De  Thou,  being  in  p^ri  on 
at  Tarascon,  where  the  infirm  cardinal  had  himself  u-l,"- 
ported,  was  ordered  to  the  presence  of  his  mor  al 
enemy    to  be   by  him   interrogated.     The  manner  in 
which  they  met  is  remarkable.    Let  it  be  remenib  red 
h.at  both  were  aware  of  the  relative  positions  ,„  which 
they  stood  to  each  other.     The  Cardinal  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  have  De  Thou's  head  cut  ofl-;  De  Thon 
knew  It,  and  the  Cardinal  was  conscious  that  his  inten- 
tions were  no  secret  for  the  prisoner.    Therefore  there 
could  be  no  attempt,  and  there  could  be  no  wish     o 
deceive  each  other.    Yet,  see  how  tliey  behave  when 
face  to  fece.    The  Cardinal,  who  was  in  bed  and  prop" 
ped  up  by  cuslnons,  when  De  Thou  was  ushered  info 
the  room  by  the  guards,  greeted  him  with  a  gentle  salute 
and,  inming  him  to  be  seated  by  the  bed  on  which  he 
the  Cardinal,  was  reposing,  said,  with  the  utmost  suavity 
of  manner :    Sir,  I  beg  you  to  e.vcuse  me  for  having  giv"^ 

.T  «r  /'  °^  """  '"terview  was  in  the  same 
tyle  W.as  ,t  deceit,  irony,  affectation  or  dissir„h! 
tion  ?  Neither  the  one  nor  the  other.  It  was  the  ct 
tomary  tone  of  exquisite  politeness  familiar  to  two  meT 
who  were  equally  mindful  of  their  respective  rank  .„d 
character  and  whose  minds  were  so  framed,  that  they 
never  lost  sight,  for  one  moment,  of  the  old  adage  •  Z 
agcMeman  «  u,orlh  anolher.  Times  have  changed'  and 
the  highest  m  the  land,  were  he  brought  before  a  Justice 


:!ii  i: 


350 


MAISONS    D'aCADIENS. 


of  the  Peace,  not  for  a  matter  of  life  and  death,  but  on  a 

nass.  \ 


charjre  of  petty  trcsp 


Id  probably  be  interrogated 


1 

i 


in  a  more  coinmandinn;  tone.  IJut  is  it  to  be  inferred  that, 
on  the  occasion  1  liave  rchited,  Canhnal  Armand  Du 
PIcssis,  Duke  of  Riclicheu,  and  the  hmiI  king  of  France, 
act(Hl  with  hypocrisy  towards  De  Thou  '( 

The  inventories  made  of  the  property  of  the  twelve 
gentlemen,  whom  the  decree  of  the  Spanish  tribunal  had 
convicted  of  rebellion,  alford  interesting  proofs  of  the 
Spartan  simplicity  which  existed  in  the  colony.  Tims 
the  furniture  of  the  bedroom  of  Madam  Villere,  who 
was  the  wife  of  one  of  the  most  distinguished  citizens  of 
Louisiana,  and  the  grand-daughter  of  De  Lachaise,  who 
came  to  the  colony,  in  17^:i,  as  ordaining  conunissary, 
was  described  as  consisting  of  a  cypress  bedstead,  three 
feet  wide  by  six  in  length,  with  a  mattress  of  corn  sliucks 
and  one  of  feathers  on  the  top,  a  bolster  of  corn  shucks, 
and  a  coarse  cotton  counterpane  or  quilt,  manufactured 
probably  by  the  lady  herself,  or  by  her  servants;  six  chairs 
of  cypress  wood,  with  straw  bottoms  ;  some  candlesticks 
with  conunon  wax,  the  candles  made  in  the  country,  &c., 
&c.  The  rest  of  the  house  was  not  more  splendidly  fur- 
nished, and  the  house  itself,  as  described  in  the  inventory, 
must  have  looked  very  much  like  one  of  those  modest 
and  unpainted  little  wood  structures  wliich  are,  to  this 
day,  to  be  seen  in  many  parts  of  the  banks  of  the  river 
Mississipi»i,  and  in  the  Attakapas  and  Op(>lousas  parishes. 
They  arc  the  tenements  of  our  small  plant(>rs  mIio  own 
only  a  few  slaves,  and  they  retain  the  ap|)ellation  of 
Maisoiis  d'Acadinis,  or  Araclian  houses.  Villere's  planta- 
tion, situated  at  the  German  coast,  was  not  large,  and 
the  whole  of  his  slaves,  of  both  sexes  and  of  all  ages, 
did  not  exceed  thirty-two.  His  friends  and  brother  con- 
spirators, who  were  among  the  lirst  gentlemen  in  the 
land,  did  not  live  with  more  ostentation.    All  the  sc([ues- 


POLISHED    MANNERS   OF    THE    COLONISTS.  .351 

trafcd  propcn-ty  bcin^r  sold,  it  ^^■as  found  that,  after  havirur 
distnbut.^d  arnono-  the  widows  and  other  creditors  wha't 
hey  were  entitled  to,  and  aftcu-  paying  the  eosts  of  the 
trial  an(  niventornss,  the  royal  treasury  had  notl.in<r  or 
very  htt  e  to  receive.  These  costs,  however,  were  mo- 
derate  for  they  a.nonntc>d  only  to  782  livres,  or  about 
!$1.)7,  for  each  ot  tlu'  persons  convicted 

There  were    but   lunnhh.  dw(>llin.rs  in  Louisiana  in 

170^   ana  he  who  would   have  judged  of  their  tenants 

cm  their  outward  appearance  would  have  thoucrht  that 

hey  were  occupied  by  n.ere  peasants,  but  had  he"passed 

then-  thresholds  he  would  have  been  an.azed  at  bein. 

welcomed  w.th  such  manners  as  were  habitual  in  the 

most  pohshed  court  of  J.:urope,  and  entertained  by  men 

and  wcHucM,  wearing  with  the  utn.ost  ease  and  grace  the 

elegant  and  r.ch  costume  of  the  reign  of  Loms  XV. 

Ihere    the  powdered  head,  the   silk  and  gold  flowered 

coat  t,  ,,ee  and  frills,  the  red  heeled  sh^e,  the   ste  1 

l^'trH  lea  sword,  the  sdver  knee  buckles,  the  hi-d,  and 

courteous  b,.arn.g  of  the  gentleman,  the  hoop  pcUtieoat 

ebroca  ed  gown,  tl.  rich  hea<I.<lress,  the  itLy  bow! 
the  shghtly  rouged  chec>ks,  the  artificially  gracehd  de- 
portment,  and  the  aristocratic  features  of  th(>  lady 
tormcd  a  strange  contrast  with  the  roughness  of  sur' 
roumhng  <d,,ects.  It  struck  one  with  as  much  astonish- 
me.it  as  if  diamonds  had  been  found  capriciously  set 
by  some  unknown  hand  in  one  of  the  wild  trees  of 
»'e  forest,  or  ,t  reminded  the  imagination  of  those  fairy 
tales  m  which  a  princess  is  found  ash>ep  in  a  soIn 
tiule,  where   none  but  beasts  of  prey  were  expected  to 

"  One  of  the  first  acts  of  O'Heilly's  administration," 
says  .Judge  Martm,  in  his  history  of  Louisiana,  "  was  an 
order  (or  a  census  of  the  inhabitants  of  New  Orleans 
It  was  executed  witii  great  accuracy.     It  appeared  that 


;ir)2 


ri'.NSUS   OF    Tin;    INIIAIUTANTS. 


Ili(»  iiiinn-ijiilc  |»()|)iil;iti(>ii  iiinoiinlcil  l<>  llircc^  tliousiind 
one  ImiKlrcd  :iiul  niiicly  persons,  of  ('vcry  iii>(>,  hox  hihI 
color.  'riu>  jiiimlKM-  of  froo  |)(M-soiih  was  iiinctccMi  Iiiin- 
(Ircd  and  two;  (liirly-oiH'orwIioin  wore  black,  and  sixty- 
cinlit  ol"  iMi.\(>(l  blood.  Tbrn!  were  t\v(«!v(>  lnindr(>d  and 
twcnly-liv(>  slaves,  and  sixty  doniiciliatiMJ  Indians.  Tlic 
lunnbcr  of  lionscs  was  four  lnnidr(>d  and  sixty-ci<;|it. 
The /rrca test  |)art  of  tli(>in  W(<rc  in  tli(>  tliird  and  fonrlli 
streets  from  the  wat(>r,  and  principally  in  tli(>  Iall(>r. 

"  No  censns  was  taken  in  the  rest;  of  the  j)rovincc, 
bnl,  froiM  a  reference  to  the  prccedinii;  and  succeedinur 
years,  the  h>llowiiii;-  statement  is  b«di(;ve<l  to  b(^  <'or- 
rccl : — 

"  New  Orleans,  as  befor(>,  - 

l''roni  llie  Uali/e  to  the  town,    - 

IJayon  Si.  .lohn  and  (ii^ntilly,    - 

'I'choupitoulas,         _  _         . 


St.  Chark's,     - 

St.  .lohn  the  Haptist, 

Lafonrche, 

lb»M-ville, 

Pointe  C'Onpec, 

Attakapas, 

Axoyelles, 

Natchitoches, 

Uapides, 

Onachita, 

y\rkansas, 

St.  Lonis  (Illinois),  - 


;{i!)() 
r)7() 
;{()7 

111)2 

();{!) 

2()7 

:{?<) 

78;} 

dOf) 

:ni 
Nil 

17 

no 

88 
8!)1 


l.'{,.'-):{8 
Abont  half  of  this  i)0[)ulalion  was  wliitc. 
"  The  exports  of  the  province,  dnrintr  the  last  year  of 

its  snbjection  to  J''rance,"  says  the  same  anthor,  "were 

us  follows : 


<'ONri,Il|)iivcj    UIOMARKS. 


In  Indian,  - 

Dt^erslviiiH, - 

lairnhcr, 

Naval  Sforos, 

lliv.c,  pofiH  mu\  boaiiH, 

Tallow, 


An  infiM-lopo  trade  with  tl,o  Spanish  colonics 
took  away  j^roods  worth     -         -         . 

The  colonial  tn-nrnvy  ^avc  hills  on  irovcrn- 
incnt  in  France  lor  - 


$HUM)0() 

12,000 
1,000 
4,000 

$250,000 

(>0,000 
.'{()0,000 


So  that  the  province  afl'orded  meann  of  remit-    " 
tanci!  for  -         _  „,._ 

«  .,  ,  -         -         -         .  $(,70  ()()() 

low  merchant  vessels  came  IVon,  France ;  hnt  the 
llandol  M.span.ola  carried  on  a  hrisk  trade  ;ith  New 
Orleans,  and  son.e  vessels  came  from  Marlini<,ne. 
Kn.ir.s  v..ssels  brought  whafver  was  nec<«ssary  li,r  th<' 
troops,  and  .roods  Ibr  the  Indian  trade." 

"  T''*'  '"•';«'>  <'[  ^<»uisiana  was  ^n-eatly  inferior  to  that 

of   Hispamolu;   the   planters  hein^r  ,,,„„■   nnskillid  and 

natter,  .ve  ,n  the  n,a,Milaet,,n-e  of  it.     That  of  sn.^ar  had 

been   alKUHh>n..d,  hnt  so.ne  plant<«rs  near  Near  Orh.u.. 

rais('(l  a  few  can(<s  lor  the  mark(>t." 

Such  was  the  emhryo  eolony  which  France  had 
createcl,  and  w  ,ch  she  had  possessed  seventy  vears. 
A Ithongh  ceded  to  Sp,un  in  1702,  it  was  not  umhT  the 
entire  contro  of  that  power  before  the  iNth  An«nst,  1701), 
when  (  Redly  took  forn.al  possesion  of  the  conntry. 
It  had  be(m  mn<-,h  <M,rtailed  Iron,  its  original  territorial 
proportions,  but  still,  from  (h.  IJali/.e  to  its  contested 
I'm.ts  with  the  Mexica,,  provinces,  and  to  that  almost 
unknown  re^r,on  which  (extended  far  beyond  St.  l,ouis 
towards   the   sources   of  the  Mississippi,  it   contained 

'>'{ 


354 


CONCLUDING    REMARKS. 


wv 


space  cnoufrh  for  an  iminensc  population ;  and  a  better 
administration  than  tliat  of  France,  conducted  on  far 
different  principles,  might  have  obtained  results  more 
favorable  than  those  which  had  crowned  her  efforts. 
It  is  not  a  high  estimate  to  suppose  that  Louisiana,  from 
1099,  the  date  of  its  colonization,  to  17C9,  when  it  was 
finally  delivered  over  to  Spain,  must  have  cost,  directly 

and  indirectly,  from  fifteen  to  twenty  millions  of  dollar  ■!  dis- 
bursed by  Crozat,  the  India  Company,  and  France,  who 
never  got  any  returns  for  this  very  large  expenditure.  Of 
all  the  great  powers  of  Europe,  France,  with  her  spirit 
of  enterprise,  her  brave  and  intelligent  population,  and 
her  vast  resources,  had  been  the  least  successful  in  her 
attempts  at  establishuig  colonies  ;  and,  after  an  infinite 
waste  of  courage  and  perseverance,  of  hardy  labor,  of 
blood  and  of  treasure,  she  had  lost,  at  last,  almost  every 
inch  of  her  once  nhmiint  boundless  possessions  on  the 
continent  of  America.  Spain  and  England  had  divided 
the  shreds  of  that  gorgeous  mantle  which  adorned  her 
shoulders,  but  which  she  had  allowed  to  drop  as  a  heavy 
incumbrance. 

The  preceding  pages  have  been  written  to  very  little 
purpose,  if  they  have  not  made  apparent  to  the  reader, 
the  causes  which  checked  the  prosperity  of  Lotiisiana, 
and  rendered  her  a  worthless  possession  in  the  hands  of 
France.  Those  causes  lie  on  the  surface  of  the  history 
itself  which  I  have  sketched,  and  it  requires  no  depth  of 
research,  nor  any  recondite  analysis  to  discover  them 
and  appreciate  their  nature.  To  one  of  them,  however, 
I  nuist,  in  concluding  this  work,  nuike  a  |)assing  allusion, 
because  it  is  still  in  existence,  and  exercises  a  fatal  influ- 
ence over  the  destinies  of  Louisiana  to  this  present  day. 
It  is,  that  those  who  came  to  her,  never  considered  that 
they  had  found  a  home  m  her  bosom.  With  tlui  excep- 
tion perhaps  of  the  Acadians  and  of  the  German,-  wliom 


CONCLUDING    REMARKS. 


355 


Lawhad  sont  to  the  colony  in  1722,  tliose  whom  sho 
roccivcd  (n  her  hip  were  not  .rrateful  for  the  ho^nitahtv 
and  deemed  themselves  lo  he  miserahh^  exiles.      Vll  the 
nuhtary  officers    and    other   persons   en.ployed   hy   the 
government  had  hut  one  ohject  in  view,  tha{  of  availincr 
themselves,  to  ohtain  promotion,  of  their  services  in  thai 
distant  country,  and  of  Ihe  reputation  of  perils  which 
they  were  really  exposed  to,  or  were  supposed  to  have 
encountered  ;  and  they  nlso  hothought  themselves  of  no- 
thing  else  than  malcin.  money,  hy  fiiir  or  foul  means,  ac- 
cordmg  to  their  different  dispositions,  in  order  to  rettirn 
With  increased  honors,  or  with  ampler  m<-ans  of  enjoyment 
to  then-  cherished  native-  country,  to  the  heautiful  France 
which  tluy  could  not  forget.     With  regard  to  that  part 
of  the  population  which  was  not  composed  of  officials  a 
good  many  had  heen  transported  lo  Louisiana  hy  force 
and  detested  a  country  which  they  looked  upon  as  a 
prison.     Others,  whose  coming  had  been   the  result  of 
their  own  volition,  had  Ix-cn  deceived  hy  wild  hopes  by 
nnrenhzed  promises,  and  hy  exaggerated  representations 
of  what  they  were  to  expect  in  the  land  to  which  their 
omigration  had  been  solicited.     They  smarted  under  the 
anguish  of  disappointiiK-nt,  and  if  they  labored  at  all  it 
was  to  acqmre  the  means  to  go  back',  hcfor<>  closin-r  their 
career,  to  their  birth-place  in  Europe,  and  th(>y  had  even 
impregnated  their  offspring  with  these  notion's.     Unfor- 
unately,  Louisiana  was  a  mere  place  of  transient  and 
temporary  sojourn,  nothing  better  than  a  hostelry  acara 
vansary,  but  no  home  for  any  one.    Ihm  could  it  be  loved 
'"^'.^•';ve<l  and  beautified  t     There  were  none  of  thos(>  as- 
sociations, not  a  link  of  that  mystic  chain  connectiuo-  the 
present  with  the  past  and  the  future,  which  producu^  fin 
attachment  to  locality.      The  waters  of  patriotism  had 
not  yet  gushed  from  their  spring,  to  fertilize  the  land. 
1  here  were  \  renchmen  in  Louisiij 


but  no  Louisiani 


m^. 


356 


C'dNi'M'niNC.'    ItKMARKS. 


Now  n  cliiui'^r  liiul  coiih'  in  li(>r  pro^rcsMivo  (losliiiios, 
mul  she  loiiiid  IkmscU'm  portion  of  (lie  Spanish  monarchy. 
Hut  neither  nnch-r  the  tla;:;  ol'  l''ranc.(%  nor  niuhn*  tluit  of 
S|)ain  was  it,  tliat  f<onisiana  conhl  have  had  th(<  t'aint(>sl 
conception  ol"  her  future  prosperity,  and  ol'  the  d(>v(^lop- 
nn'ut  of  those  innnens(M-«>soin"ces,  which,  to  nnfohl  ihein- 
selv(>s,  recpiired  the  touch  ol'a  nui>hly  tnajriciau,  whose  in- 
cantations a  <|uick  ear  nii;];ht  perhaps,  even  at  that  time, 
ha\e  h(>ard  from  alar,  it  was  not,  when  a  poor  colony, 
and  wlun  iLjiven  away  like  a  farm  hy  a  friend  to  anoth(M*, 
royal  thou<ih  they  were,  it  was  not  wh(>n  miserably  clad 
with  the  tatter(>d  livery  of  lu'r  colonial  hon(Ia<j;<«,  that  she 
could  fores(>e  her  li^lorious  dismemherment  into  sove- 
reignties, the  least  of  whiclMx'cupies  so  proud  a  position 
in  the  ey<'  of  the  world.  This  miracl(>  was  to  l)(>  the 
eonscMiuence  of  the  apparition  of  a  banner,  which  was 
not  in  existtMic(>  at  the  lime,  which  was  to  be  the  laba- 
rum  of  the  advent  of  lihcM'tv,  iho  harbinjjer  of  the  reire 
neration  of  nations,  and  which  was  to  form  so  important 
an  era  in  the  history  of  the  ri<xhts  of  mankind. 


!] 


APPENDIX. 


24 


APPENDIX. 


Extract  fn>,a  , he  Despatch  writtm  on  the  V2lh  of  OctoUr,  l1,o    bu 
Limudmn,  the  Harbor  Maater  and  Vhiej  PU„t,  ' 

Ml'  Loud  : 

,« s,. , , ,.  w„.,„  .,„.  „„,.  ,.,irz!r.;;Jr»;;;:..:;'';::;;,,; 

1.0   .ul  ..    tlu.  I  ass  ra„  .soul      soutl.-east,  and  i.ortl.  norti    wost       n,iH 
.as  boon  but  too  f.v.uont  fW  thoso  twonty-fivo  yonrs,  clu,,-  "  .I.i      I 

U-    ..nt   .y  th..  suno  way  i„  whi.h  I  took  thorn  iu  ;  ami  these  cWc. 

At  that  tunc  tho  tKl..s  ascvncl  thirty-thrco  n.iles.     Now,  it  will  !.<    1  '' 
ary    ...  vosse  s  w.s  in^  to  con.o  in,  t.,  cast  anchor  to  thi  oast  a    tl  -  a! 
and  west  south-west  of  tho  houses  of  tho  ]Jalize  Post. 


Regulations  of  Police. 

Wo  rierre  l%a«t,  Manjuis  of  Vaudrouil,  Governor    .ft,.    Province 
of  I.n„s,ana,  and  I[onor6  Ml.  hel  de  la  Houvilii^re,  the  I     ,.'s  ,  .uns  lor 

pZ;ri^^"-'''H  ''  '"  ''T'-  ^'■'^"'■^'"-^'  -J  i"Un<lanU:1S 
I  rovmcT,  decree  m  tho  name  of  th.  Kinrr  • 


Art.  1. 


Fron,  the  day  of  the  ;  ul.lieatiou  .,f  tLvso  present  re..ulau.„s  a'l  nor 
sons    whatever  n,ay  be  their  social  ..ndition,  and   u^        "' p'oE 

^'thiLitrr "  r?f-"''  '^""^  ^"^  ^-''-^  -^'  whiehi^:: 

b    i^         ;     r  f  ^"f-,;'"^.-y-toxicating  beverage,.. .atever  n.-.; 
DC    ts  n..t  ue,  an.l  fn  •,,  allowing,  it  to  bo  used   for  drinknrr  at  their 
respeotne  houses,  or  ev. ,,  to  bo  carried  away  in  large  or  snudl  m  1  os 
and  any  person,  contravening  this  provisil  of  o^  ordi^lr^Iiiliitj 


360 


APPENDIX. 


sentonccd  to  be  imprisoned  for  one  month,  to  pay  ten  crowns  in  favor  of 
the  poor  and  to  have  all  the  liquors  found  at  his  house  co..tiscated  on 
belialt  of  the  king  h  treasury. 

Art.  2. 
There  shall  be  established  six  taver.is  in  the  town  of  New  Orleans 
under  commissions  to  be  issued  to  that  eflfect.  ' 

Art.  3. 
The  keepers  of  these  six  taverns  are  permitted  to  supplv,  witli  wine  or 
spirits  no  other  persons  than  travellei^,  sick  people,  the  inhabitants,  and 
sea-faring  inen  ;  and  this  they  must  <lo  with  the  requisite  moderation. 
We  forbid  them  to  furnish  these  articles  to  a  soldier,  under  the  severest 
penalties,  and  to  Indians  and  Negroes,  under  the  penalty  of  paying  a 
hne  of  ten  crowns,  of  being  sentenced  to  tlie  pillory,  and  of  forfeitinrr,  by 
confisc^ation,  all  the  wines  and  liquors  found  in  the  bouse  and  shop  of 
the  offender;  and  should  tliere  be  a  repetition  of  said  offence,  said 
offender  shall  be  sentenced  to  the  galleys  for  life. 

Art.  4. 
Wo  also  forbid  tavern-keepei-s,  under  the  penalty  of  losing  their  privi- 
leges as  such,  to  retail  refreshments,  on  Sundays  and  other  holidays, 
during  divme  worship.  ^ 

Art.  5. 
We  also  decree  that  said  taverns  shall  be  closed,  under  arbitrary 
penalties,  at  nine  m  the  evening  of  every  day,  and,  after  that  time,  that 
no  one  be  entertained  in  said  taverns. 


Art.  6. 
Said  tavern-keepers  shall  pay  for  their  privilege,  each,  the  sum  of  two 
hundred   ivres  to  the  ecclesiastical  treasury  of  this  parish,  which  needs 
very  much  such  relief,  and  also  the  additional  sum  of  one  hundred  livres 
for  the  maintenance  of  the  poor  of  this  town,  who  are  in  a  great  state  of 
destitution.  ° 

Art.  Y, 

There  shall  also  be  granted  the  privilege  of  keeping  two  liquor  shops 

(canters),  the  one  to  the  Major  in  command  of  New  Orleans,  and  the 

other  to  the  officer  commanding  the  Swiss  company.     One  of  these  shops 

shall  be  appropriated  to  the  French  soldiers,  and  the  other  to  the  Swiss 


APPENDIX. 


361 


--so  that  tl.o  military  shall  drink  at  the  places  only  designate  for  them  • 
reocivll^rr  :'"  travolle.  and  s.afaring-men,  sl^dl  no  more  "e 
reocvod  n.  thcso  li.juor  shops,  than  the  soldiers  shall  be  nveived  in  the 

V er,  „H  .t  not  ho  forced  into  going  to  drink  at  any  one  of  the  e  two 
Kjuor  shops  ;  but  they  ,n..st  do  so  of  their  own  free  will  •  and  th! 

bitants,  travellers,  seafaring-men,  Indians,  and  Negroes,  shall  nnderlo 
lJ:^:i:r  '"'"^'  ^"  ''-  ot,.r...rn.,4.r.Jn  the  3d  arti^: 

Art.  8. 
Whereas  wo  have  been  informed  that  certain  individuals,  instead  of 
jrnprovmg  the.r  lands  by  cultivation,  have  come  to  the  to^n  ^New 
Orleans,  or  have  removed  to  certain  localities  in  the  rural  districts  of  this 
province,  m  order  to  establisli  therein  some  drunken  hedge  pot-hous 
by  winch  „„.ans,  they  do  not  only  tempt  the  fidelity  of  fl  elh  v      ^  ; 
also  .ndnce  them  to  rob  their  masters  by  giving  them  intoxicatiSuo 
.n  exchange  tor  the  produce  of  their  pilferings,  we  request  all  thf  hone 
planters  to  watch  the  deportment  of  these  individuals  in  the  co  ntrv  I 
order  to  make  us  acquainted  with  the  disorders  of  which  they  arc  the 

Art.  9, 
In  orc:er  to  check  the  disorders  originating  in  the  town  of  New 
Orleans,  from  the  n.creased  multiplicity  of  t.verns  which  have  been 
established  therein  without  permission,  we  decree,  that  ei^ht  <lavs  from 
and  after  the  date  of  the  present  publication,  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
(merman  Parish,  and  of  other  parislies,  who  have  aband-^i..,!  their  lands 
to  come  and  settle  here,  shall  return  to  their  former  places  of  residence 
under  the  penalty  of  being  treated  as  vagrants  and  ])erturbers  of  the 
public  peace,  and,  therefore,  driven  away  from  the  country  as  people  of 
an  infamous  character.  ^     ^ 


IVISS 


IS 


Art.  10. 
All  free  Negroes  and  Negresses,  living  either  in  the  purlieus  of  this 
town  or  -in  its  vicinity,  who  may  become  guilty  of  harboring  slaves  in 
order  to  seduce  them  and  excite  them  to  plunder  their  mastei's,  and  lead 
a  scanda  ous  life,  shall  lose  their  freedom  and  become  the  slaves  of  the 
king  We  beg  his  Majesty  to  make  them  part  of  his  domain,  by  paying 
per  head,  for  every  one  of  them,  five  hundred  livres,  to  be  applied  to  the 


362 


APPENDIX. 


In^'llf'^'  '^""^  '^'^'^  P^"^^^'  -'^^'^^  ^^^«<i«  in  extreme  T,eecl  of 


repairs. 


Art.  11. 


Any  Froncbrnan  ^-ho  shall  be  so  infamous  as  to  become  guilty  of  the 
offence  descnbed  m  the  preceding  article,  shall  be  whipped  by  the  publi 


Art.  17, 


Any  Kxmdnal  who  shall  buy  from  «  slave  any  object  whatever  with- 
out a  spccfic  w-ntten  permission  from  the  masted  of  said  slave  tJa  be 
sentenced  for  the  first  offence,  to  the  pillory,  and,  for  the  nex  '  sit  be 
condemned  to  serve  on  the  king's  galleys  for  life 


I'it 
I 


5&J-!    *  '     *  ' 


Art.  19. 

It  having  always  been  the  intention  of  his  Majesty  that  every  indivi- 
dual, on  h.s  plantation  or  elsewhere,  should  punish  his  Ne  Jes  ith 
rnoderation,  as  a  kind  father  would  correct  his  children;  and  mo     o 

he  inhabi  ants  of  this  colony  having  misunderstood  the  king's  wishes  on 
th.  subject  and  overlooking  in  their  slaves  such  faults  as  afe  t  oTn Ir- 
tent  not  to  be  repressed,  we  cannot  recommend  too  much  to  the  owne^ 
of  s  aves,  to  be  more  energetic  in  checking  their  disorders,  and  to  " 
tise  them  w,  hout  passion  on  all  proper  ocdisions.     We  gi  e  them  noti^ 

hat,  If  we  discover  any  undue  laxity  in  the  exercise  of  the  autS 

niucli  lenitj,  to  be  seized  and  punished  with  exemplary  severity. 

Art.  20, 

We  forbid  all  the  inhabitants  or  citizens  of  this  colony  to  permit  on 
teir  plantations,  or  at  their  places  of  residence,  or  elsewhct,  .^^^^Z 
bly  0    ^.g,.ocs  or  Negresses,  either  under  the  pretext  of  danciiig  or  f" 

U  emschcs.  ^\e  also  forbid  them  to  allow  their  slaves  to  go  out  of  their 
plaiuations  or  premises  for  similar  purposes,  because  Jiis  Maj  .Ih, 
prohibited  all  assemblies  of  the  kind.  '^  ^^.'^-ty  Has 


APPENDIX. 


Art.  21. 


363 


We  ako  forbid  the  town  and  country  Negroes  to  assemble  in  the 
town  of  New  Orleans,  or  m  its  vicinity,  or  elsewhere,  under  .ny  pretext 
whatever,  under  the  penalty,  for  said  Negroes,  of  being  imprisoned  and 
whipped,  and,  besides  under  the  penalty,  for  the  masters,  of  a  fine  of 

—rilt!^^^^ ""''''  -"''  -'' '-'  ^-  — ^^^  ^^^^^  -i^ 

Art.  22. 
Should  any  inhabitant  or  citizen  of  the  province  permit  on  his  planta- 
tion 0   premises  an  assembly  of  negroes  other  tha^  his  own,  under  any 

fothe  tJI^  '.?;  ''f'  f  ''''  '"*  ^«"^"^^'  ^^y  -«  ^--dred  crowns 
to  the  treasuiy  of  the  church,  and  shall,  for  the  next  ofience  of  the  kind, 
be  sentenced  to  work  for  life  on  the  King's  galleys. 


h/^o 


Art.  23. 


Any  negro  .Mi«L  shall  be  met  in  the  streets  or  public  roads,  oarryinir 

a  cane,  a  rod,  or  a  stick,  shall  be  chastised  by  the  first  white  mlwh! 

sha     nee   him,  with  the  very  same  instrument  of  which  he,  said  ne'ro 

hall  be  the  bearer ;  and  should  said  negro  be  daring  enough  to  defend 

himsel   or  run  a..y,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  whit^e  man!  dei  ounce 

S:r;;rc:sr ''- ''-''  ™^" '-  ^-^^^^^  — ^<^  -  ti.  exi! 


Art.  24. 

Any  negro  or  other  slave,  proceeding  either  on  foot  or  on  horseback 

m   he  s  ree  s  of  New  Orleans,  or  on  the  public  roads,  durin.  the  dav 

and  particularly  during  the  night,  shall  be  stopped  by  a.y  white  person 

meeting  said  negro  or  other  slave,  in  order  to  inq  .ire  L  l^^s  Son 

cognizant  of  the  fact,  to  endeavor  to  know  who  that  slave  may  be  and 
to  denounce  him,  so  as  to  have  him  punished  according  to  his  deler; 

Art  2,5. 
Whereas  negroes  break  down  all  the  liorses  of  the  colony  bv  usin^ 
them  immoderately,  and  by  stealing  them,  not  only  out  o^^naii  Z 
also  out  of  then-  sta  les  ;  and  whereas  this  is  infinitely  injurio  to  Sie 
gncuUura  labors  of  the  colony  and  to  the  interests  o^"  i,  d  idua k  we 
permi  said  negroes  to  be  shot  at  when  they  are  taus  met  on  ^^1 
and  when  they  refuse  to  stop  on  their  bein«-  hailed.  "^rseOack, 


364 


APPENDIX. 


Art.  26. 
Being  informed  that  the  nea^roes  of  the  town  arc  so  licentious  as  to 
come  out    at  night,  of  the  houses  of  their  masters,  which  they  leave 
abandoned  and  ,.j>en,  and  thereby  exposed  to  all  sorts  of  casualties,  in 
order  to  assemble  with  those  of  the  country,  who  come  prowling  through 
the  town,  to  commit  every  kind  of  malfeasances,  and  to  be  drinking  at 
he  taverns,  to  the  amount  of  what  they  can  obtain  for  what  objects 
they  liave  stolen  from  the  public  and  from  their  masters  ;  we  exhort  and 
even  order  al  the  citizens  carefully  to  watch  these  nocturnal  excesses,  to 
wh,c^  our  police  sliall  be  actively  alive ;  and  if,  through  our  combined 
efforts  we  can  d.scx>ver  the  authors  of  such  iniquities,  the  severe  justice 
which  shall  be  administered  to  them,  shall  intimidate  all  othei  who 
may  bo  disposed  to  produce  such  scandalous  disorders.     The  inhabitants 
of  the  country  may  powerfully  contribute  to  put  an  end  to  this  state  of 
things,  by  retaining  their  negroes  on  their  respective  plantations. 


Aht.  28. 
Any  negro  or  other  slave,  either  in  town  or  in  the  country,  who  shall 
tail  m  the  respect  and  submission  which  he  owes  to  white  people-that 
IS  to  say  who  may  be  so  insolent  as  to  elbow  them  on  the  high  roads 
and  public  ways,  and  who,  finally,  forgetting  that  he  is  a  slave,  shall 
offend  them  in  any  way  whatsoever,  shall  be  punished  with  fifty  lashes, 
and  shall  be  branded  with  the  flower  de  Luce  on  his  back  (sur  la  fesse) 
in  order  to  make  known,  in  case  of  need,  the  nature  of  his  crime. 

Akt.  29. 
All  the  negroes  and  other  slaves  who  go  to  church,  shall  attend  the 
hrst  mass  said  m  the  morning.  In  the  country  they  shall  be  led  to 
church  by  the  overseer  of  each  gang,  who  shall  take  them  back  iinme- 
oiately  atter  diyine  worship  is  over;  and  should  there  be  servants  in  the 
habit  of  following  their  masters  to  any  other  mass  than  the  first  one  in 
the  morning,  «uid  servants  shall  stop  at  the  door  of  the  church,  and 
wait  th.re  for  their  masters,  under  the  penalty  of  being  chastised. 

AuT.  30. 

We  have  just  explained  the  respect  and  obligations  due  by  the  black. 

to  the  <.hites,  and  particularly  to  their  masters.     But  it  is  proper  to 

inform  the  public  that  this  docs  not  apply  indifferently  to  everybody      A 

private  person,  a  soldier,  or  any  other  individual,  bus  not  the  right  to 


APPENDIX. 


365 


ill-trea    a  negro  who  ,s  guilty  of  no  offence  towards  Lim.     In  certain 
asos,  tl.o  porson  offended  may  arrest  Mm,  and  ask  that  he  may  beTeaU 
vv>  h  accord„,g  to  the  dictates  of  justice,  because  the  negro  i  subL 
only  to  the  pohce  regulations  of  the  country  and  to  the  tribunal  of'h 
o^vn  master      Consequently,  and  in  compliance  with  the  orders  o    h 
Majesty,  we  forb.d  that  any  one  should  take  the  liberty  to  ill-treat  slave 
and  for  any  v.o  afon  of  tins  prohibition,  the  person  so  offendingX  l' 
m^ergo  an  arb.trary  punishment,  according  to  the  circumstances'of  h 


Decree  of  the  Superior  Council  of  the  Province,  referred  to  in  Page  103 

of  Vol.  II. 

Louis  by  the  grace  of  God,  King  of  France  and  of  Navarre,  to  all 
who  shall  SCO  those  presents,  greeting  :  We  make  it  known  that  the 
Supenor  (Jouncd  of  the  Province  of  Louisiana,  having  taken  i  to  con- 
side,.t,ou  the  humble  representations  n,ade,  this  day,^to  that  C  urt  by 
the  planters,  merchants,  mechanics  and  others  ;  and  whereas  the  reh  f  of 
a  peop  e,  to  whon.  the  Council  is  as  a  father,  U.e  support  of  tl  e  la  so 
w  .ch  ,t  .s  the  depository  and  intorpreter,  and  the  im'provem  f  .X' 
culture  and  commerce,  of  which  it  is  the  patron,  are  the  motives  of  the 
representatums  of  said  plantors,  merchantiand  others;  said  Co  Li  i 
proceeded  to  adjudicate,  as  follows,  on  thes^  importanl  matters : 

What  momentous  objects  are  these  fc.  the  Council  !     Can  it  after 
havmg  duly  wcghed  them,  give  attention  to  any  other  subject  ex  en 

TuspiTit  rr""rf"^«  ^^  ^--  ^'--^  ix/it,forafeii:::£ 

suspend  U   arduous  labors,  to  attend  to  those  subjects,  which  are  now 
lepresented  as  most  worthy  of  its  attention  an<l  mir.istry  :   and  thou 
dear  country  whose  prosperity  is  the  object  of  our  n.ost  a'rdent  wi    es  ! 

hou,  tl.U  art  to  us  what  Sparta,  Athens,  .„d  Rome  were  to  their  zealou 
ctizens,  sutler  us  to  pay  a  legitimate  de'ot  by  consecrating  to  thee  thi 
weak    nbute  of  our   love.     It  will   be  dictated  by  our  hearts  "whose 
inspirations  an  obedient  hand  is  ready  to  record.  ' 

.-^even  millions  of  royal  paper  constituted  all  the  currency  of  this 
colony  and  the  fortune  of  its   citizens;  the  total  with<lra.ing  o    th 

October    Wo9,   has  reduced  the   province   of  Louisiana"  to  the  most 
deplorable  situation.     We  shall  not  undertake  to  enter  into  a  detaTo 
the  calamities,  of  the  ruined  fortunes,  of  the  downfall  of  families,  which 


366 


APPENDIX. 


It" 


were    i,e  fidu    oonseqnenoos  of  tl.ut  OHtastn,pl.o.     TI,o  Oonncil,  ovory 

t  rm-  .t  nsson.b  OS  to  tako  n.c,n.izanoe  of  tl>o  affairs  of  the  u„!,aj,],y  viotini 

o      na    ov..nt,  l.as  l...fo,-o  its  oyes  a  .norc  striki,,,.  picture  of  o.,,-  ,„isfor: 

W.S    |.a„  n,  ,s  iH>ss,b  o  tor  us  to  paiut.     ]{ocovo.-...I  fn.n,  the  clepr-ssion 

t-  wl-h  thoy  had  been  ph,n....I,  th.  oitizous  of  Louisiaua  hai  ho.un 
■  t  last  to  breathe ;  thoy  had  considered  the  conclusion  of  the  wa,-  as 
the  <.nd  of    her  misfortunes,  and  ontortaine.l  hopes  that  the  return  of 
p  -ee  ,vouid  he  the  n.on.ent  destined  for  their  reh'ef     A-nieuhure  (sa.d 
tl-  plan,..,.)   that  surest  and  most  positive  wealth  for  a  nation,  that  prl 
.ho  s..un.e  from  .Inch  flow  ail  the  hlessin,.s  which  we  eaj..v,  will  Lw 
he  _rev>ve<I,  and  wdl  repair,  a  hundred  fold,  dnrin.  the  pei;  ,he  los.es 
wh,ch  ..  underwent  during  the  war;  con.n.eree,  without  which   fl^ 
fru  (,s  of  the  earth  have  neither  worth  nor  value,  will  be  vivifi.-d  and  pro- 
tected, said  the  merchant.     Sweet  illusions  and  flattering  projects  what 
..u>w  become  of  you  ^     The   planter,  the  n.erchanC  ^H  '' anl^  and 
Classes  u,    I,e  colony,  un.Iergo,  in  the  most  profound  peace,  misfortunes 
and  c,  nmf.cs  ,hich  they  never  felt  during  a  long  and  bloody  war 

ihe  hrst  stroke  by  which  the  colony  was  atilicted,  was  the  infornuUion 

doubt  ess,  will  bo  surprised  at  tlie  profound  grief  which  this  news  excited 
m  all  hearts.     The  French  love  their  monarch  above  all  thi.,,.  and  . 
"appy  i.r.;,ud,ce  makes  all   men   nat.u-ally  incline  to  the  government 
under  wlucbtlK,-  are  born.     Let  us  cast  a  veil  over  this  ev..n,  ;  ZZ 
JnTs  from  the  hand  of  a  Frenchman  when  he  attempts  ,o  ai.alvsi  u! 
>V  li.U  at  piesoent  seriously  occupies,  and  should  engross  the  whole  "atten- 
tmn  of  the  court,  is  the  contemplation  of  those  facts  which  are  the  fore- 
rujmo..  of  that  shivery  with  which  a  new  administration  threatens  the 
CO  onisis  of  Louisiana.     At  one  time  we  behold  an  exclusive  company 
which,  to  the  prejudice  of  the  nation,  is  empowered  to  carrv  on  ..ll  tlfo' 
commerce  of  the  remaining  possessions  of  the  French  in  North  AnL-rici  • 
we  next  see  ;he  a,,pearance  of  an  edict,  which  confines  within  the  nar- 
rowest bounds  the  liberty  necessary  to  commerce,  ami  forbids  the  French 
to  have  any  con.iexion  with  their  own  nation  ;  it  is  replete  with  prohibi- 
tior.s  and  re.a-amts  ;  the  merchant,  of  Louisiana  every  where  meet  with 
obstacles  to  be  surmounted,  difliculties  to  be  overcome,  and   (if  it  be 
a  livable  to  make  use  of  such  an  expression)  enemies  of  their  Vountry 
to  bo  .nerthrown.     In  Europe,  a  period  of  six  months  will  sometimes 
elapse  before  persons  that  fit  out  vessels  know  nhetlu.r  thev  shall  obf-iin 

to  his  uver  (Mississippi)  are  in  .piestion.  The  iVince  of  Ml^nbazon, 
Commander  General  of  the  island,  begins  fo  refuse  them.  In  Loui.i: 
ana,  m  the  very  centre  of  the  colony,  wiiere  a  person  of  the  meanest 


( 


■■*■  ;r.«...;  ^'-"jkr. 


APPENDIX. 


307 


and 


umlcrstanding  sees,  at  tlie  very  first  ...lanco,  J.ow  mn^h  it  stands  in  no. . 
of  onco„ra..n.ent  and  patronag.,  wo  do  .it  n.ot  with  1    "ft" 

orN;;^::rs  x:t:r''''  a,o^^>H.dethei„.,::;.i.„ 

.       low  t(  ruble  and  liow  dostructive  a  course  of  action  is  tliis  '     Tf 

pro,,,,,.  ,....,1  f  .„;,  „,  i;;::j,'r„,:;' :';:tjr:r;::;  <:: 

L„"^",  Ui  :,^*  '"'»"'"  ""'  ^^*^''^--;  'i'-'OV-n  the  contrary, 
tx  hsne   ,.rnd..ges   may  he  jn.stly  considered  as  a  sort  Jf  va    nir 

whli;;;:!:::,:';::!::;!:'"^"'^  ^?:— ^  >^  -  -^  "n'-sive  n.ethod; 


sinvc  banislied  from 


winch,  fur  the  happine.ss  of  mankind,  ],as  been  long 
Uio  I'roncii  co]( lilies.  * 

of  w   u  1  we  have  here  the  hon-r  of  preseiUing  them.     We      al  no 

".p^  to  atnrn,  that  the  carrying  of  the  phm^hieh  it  co,  t        ' 
-ocmion,  would  rn.n  the  clony,  by  giving  agric.I.nrc  and  comi.i 
1.0   most  dangerous   wounds.      The  inhabitants  of  Louisiana   air  -u  v 
despair  o,  the  preservation  of  their  country,  if  the  priviLg,.  and  Z^ 

ottl.  tat.d  dec  ee,  which   has  alarmed  all  hearts  and  lill.d  them  with 

of  Jus  Ca  ho  he  Majesty,  on  the  fith  of  September  l7G0,„f  whi..li  a  copy 
.s  l>ere  subjoined,  is  not  annulled  as  illegal  in  ail  its  points,  an      s  c  Z 
-y  to  the  .ncreasc  of  agriculture  and  commerce  ;  H' iina »;     .     ^ 

b.  N  ..l.tled.  Wo  sl....aM  never  forget  the  sublime  .liscoursc,  which  an 
h^trious  magistnac  ad  i. esses  to  the  legislators  ,.f  the  ea^h  :  •' aI^ 
0",  says  he  ■> desirous  of  abrogating  any  Ian-,  tou.h  it  but  with  a 
trembling  hand.  Approach  it  with  ..  much  solemnhv.  use  m.  ma,,;  .^^ 
caution.,  that  the  people  may  natur.ally  conclude  that  U.e  law.s  are  s^ic  cd 
•s.nce  «o  many  formalities  are  required   in   the  abrogation  of  them." 


368 


APPEXDIX. 


How  mortifying  is  it  for  Frenclimen,  to  suffer  all  the  rigore  to  which 
their  commerce  is  subjected,  whilst  a  foreign  nation,  their  ambitious 
nval,  openly  carries  on  the  trade  of  the  colony,  to  the  prejudice  of  the 
nation  to  which  it  belongs,  which  contributed  to  its  establishment,  and 
which  IS  at  the  expense  of  it !  We  do  not  fear  that  it  will  be  objected 
that  the  French  alone  are  not  ;ible  to  supply  the  continent  with  all  the 
commodities  which  it  wants.  A  loan  of  seven  millions,  which  the  inha- 
bitants of  Louisiana  made  to  the  king,  from  the  year  1758  to  17G3  will 
be  an  eternal  monument  of  the  extent  of  the  French  commerce,  and  of 
the  attachment  of  the  colonists  to  tlieir  sovereign's  service. 

It  is  just  at  the  time  when  a  new  mine  has  been  discovered  •  when 
the  culture  of  cotton,  improved  by  experience,  promises  the  planter  the 
reconripense  of  his  toils,  and  furnishes  persons  engaged  in  tittino-  out 
vessels,  with  cnr^foes  to  load  them  ;  when  the  manufacture  of  Indi..o 
may  vie  with  that  of  St.  Domingo  ;  ^vhen  the  fur  trade  has  been  carried 
to  the  highest  degree  of  perfection,  which  it  has  as  yet  attained  ;  it  is  in 
these  happy  circumstances  that  certain  enemies  to  their  country,  and 
broachers  of  a  false  system,  have  imposed  upon  persons  in  ofHce   to 
induce  them  to  sacrifice  the  inhabitants  of   New  Orleans.       Let  'the 
court  no  longer  defer  the  relief  of  a  people  which  is  dear  to  it  •  let  it 
make  known  to  those  invested  with  royal  authority  the  exhausted  state 
to  which  this  province  would  be  reduced,  if  it  were  not  soon  to  be  freed 
trom  the  prohibitions,  which  would  plunge  it  into  irremediable  ruin. 
What  would   be  thought  of  a  physician,   who  being  possessed  of  a 
panacea,  or  universal  remedy,  should  wait  for  a  plague  in  order  to  reveal 
It .     It  IS  by  the  trade  to  the  leeward  islands  that  the  inhabitants  of 
Louisiana  find  means,  every  year,  to  dispose  of  four  score  or  a  hundred 
cargoes  of  lumber.      Should  this  branch  of  trade  be  taken  away,  the 
colony  would  be  deprived  of  an  annual  income  of  five  hundred  thousand 
ivres  at  least-a  sum,  which  the  work  of  the  negroes  and  the  applica- 
tion of  the  master  produces   alone,  without  any  other  disbursement. 
According  to  the  observation  of  a  celebrated  author,  it  would  be  better 
to  lose  a  hundred   thousand  men  in  a  groat  kingdom  by  an  error  in 
po  itics,  than  to  be  guilty  of  one  which  should  stop  the  progress  of  a.m- 
culture  and  commerce.     It  is  well  known  that  those  who  present  plans 
to  obtain  exclusive  privileges,  are  never  without  plausible  reasons  to 
make  them  appear  economic  and  a^lvantageous,  as  well  to  the  kiiu--  as  to 
Uie  public ;  but  the  experience  of  all  ages  and  all  countries  evfdently 
demonstrates,  that  those  who  seek  exclusions  have  their  private  interest 
solely  m  view  ;  that  they  have  less  zeal  than  others  for  the  prosperity  of 
the  state,  and  have  less  of  the  spirit  of  patriotism. 
The  execution  of  the  decree  relative  to  the  commerce  of  Louisiana 


■i'il 


APPENDIX. 


300 


would  rorluce  the  inhabitants  to  the  sad  alternative  of  either  losing  their 
harvest,  for  want  of  vessels  to  export  them,  or  of  exchanging  theifcom 
mod.fes  .n  a  fraudulent  manner  with  a  foreign  nation,  ^xpasin!  th  m- 
Ives  to  undergo  the  rigor  of  the  law,  whid.  ordains'  thlt  thas     X, 

W  't TlilT  r  r'/T'^  ^'""   '"'"  ^''^^   ^'^^  ''-  -d  liberties. 
Wha   a  1  fe  is  this  !  what  a  struggle  !     It  is  but  too  true,  as  has  b.en 

already  observed,  that  the  report  of  the  new  ordinance  alo  e  has  cau.  J 

a  consKlerabe  dunmution,  not  only  in  the  articles  of  luxury,  but  lik  ■  vi^e 

iv  :"  t  uT\  ^  'rr  "'''^'^  '"'''  ''^''^^^^-^  -'-^^^  twenty  tho^I  d 
hv  e.  .ould  hard  y  sell  for  five  thousand.     Some  will,  perl'xps,  .ss.-rt 
that  the  scarcity  0   money  contributes  also  to  this  diminution.     P.it  how 
muh  greater  will  be  the  scarcity  of  specie,  when  the  colony  shall  eithe" 
be  cehvered  up  to  an  exclusive  company,  or  to  the  ambition  of  fi      o 
^x  individuals,  who  form    but   one   body?     It  will   then   resemble  a 
mernber  grown  to  a  monstrous  bulk,  at  the  expense  of  the  subs  ance 
of  the  rest,  winch  would   become  withered  and   palsied.      The   bo  v 
would  thereby  find  itself  threatened  with  a  total  destruction      It  was 
only  by  openly  favoring  the  introduction  of  negroes,  th a    t  "is      I     ; 
was  ™sed  to  the  flourishing  state  which  it  ap^ared  to  have  attJ^i 

Perliaps  it  will  be  said,  to  dispel  these  alarms,  that  the  gold  and  silver 
which  has  been  made  to  abound  in  the  place  by  a  new  ^dministra  on 
naay  in  emnify  for  the  losses  of  agriculture  and  commerce.     Bu      u": 
mg  of  the  future  by  the  experience  of  the  past  and  of  the  preso  t  t  ^t 
resource  will  be  found  to  be  very  weak,  as' nobody  can  prelnd  not  to 
know  tha,  among  the  various  treasures  which  the' eartl/contains  i    iu^ 
bosom,  go  d  and  silver  are  neither  the  chief  riches  nor  the  most  desir  b  e 
Th  se  metals  have  reduced  their  natural  p<.:sessors  to  a  deplorable  sme 
and   he  mastei-s  of  those  slaves  have  not  thereby  become  iLre  pi  v  S 
They  appear,  from  that  moment,  to  have  lost  all  spirit  of  industry 
disposi  ion  to  work,  like  a  laborer  who  should  find  a  treasure  in  th    mi. 
of  his  fie  d,  and  thereupon  forsake  his  plough  for  ever.     Beside.       w 
many  acts  of  severity  have  been  committed\ngainst  peaceabl    ciis 
by  a  stranger,  who,  though  invested  with  a  respectable  character    I  ^ 

ii:ii:r  °V'; '"  •"'^'■^"^■^'  •"'•  i--^°™-i  -y  of  ti.  duties' p: 

quilhty  We  shall  mention  an  old  ship  captain,  who  was  confined  bv 
b.s  orders,  and  whose  vessel  was  detained  in  port  duriW  eight  o  ten 
months,  for  not  having  been  able  to  read  in  the  decrees  of  IVovSe  ce  t  ." 
the  vessel  in  which  he  had  despatched  certain  packets,  intrusted  to  h^ 
care,  would  be  .ist  away.  A  similar  tyranny  was  exer  ised  by  th  p 
son  invested  with  this  illegal  and  unjust  authority,  against  tw       pt  i  s 


370 


APPENDIX. 


iflil' 


belong  ng  to  Mart.n.co,  ,vho  had  been  guilty  of  no  other  crime,  than  that 
of  no  having  guessed  that  the  Council  of  Louisiana  had  issued  an  edict 
forb.dd.ng  the  .ntru.!uction  of  the  creolized  negroes  of  the  Leeward  Islands. 
What  ill  usage  has  an  old  citizen  suffered,  on  account  of  a  packet  which 
had  been  put  ,nto  the  hands  of  the  captain  of  one  of  his  ships,  wlio  hav- 
ing met  with  contrary  winds,  was  unable  to  deliver  it  at  Havana '  ' 

treieL   "tI  "'  '^''i\'^''  barbarity  with  which  the  Acadians  were 
rea ted  ?     Ihese  people  the  sport  of  fortune,  had  determined,  under'the 
mipulse  of  a  patnot.c  sp.r.t,  to  forsake  all  that  they  might  possess  on  the 
Enghsh  terntor,es,  in  order  to  go  and  live  under  the  h!ppy  laws  of  thei 

had  they  cleared  out  a  place  sufficient  for  a  poor  thatclied  hut  to  stand 
upon  when,  m  consequence  of  some  representations  which  they  han- 
P-ed  to  make  to  Mr.  Ulloa,  he  threatened  to  drive  them  out  of  I 

which  the  king  had  given  them  ;  at  the  same  time  directin<r  the  Ger- 
mans to  refuse  them  a  retreat.     It  remains  to  be  determined  whether 

ime  to  c"'  7  "'^'"'"  "^^^"  ''''••''""•^"^'  ^"^  -  t'->k  we  can  pre- 
sume to    onclude,  without  exaggeration,  that  it  is  diametrically  contrary 

lt\™u.r'  "Tr  ^''^''  '""'^  ''''  encouragement  of  popLtion;  J 
a  1   ts  b,  uuhcs  and  by  every  means.     Those  who  complair  (and  wh^  is 

n..itl  ,^~'''~"^'  ^''■^  ^''^'''■•^  '^'  '^'''  ^^>«   <^'"'Pl^"n   are 

mints      li  "    ;.  '"'Tir^'''^  ^'"'^'"'^  ''  ^'"^  ^^''^«'  -"d  -"t  to  the 

Tul  ntv  r''  '     '"'■  ''""'^  '"'■*>'  ^"^'^  ^^•^■^  '---^-1  -th  some 

au tioritv,  his  prince  never  commanded  him  to  exert  it  in  a  tyrannical 

po^^ers      S  ch  oppressions  are  not  dictated  by  the  hearts  of  kin-ns  •  they 

dt:;  th  i    iT  '  '""'  '""^"'^^  ""'''''  '^'''^'^^  ^^-  characte'r,  an 
uuecis  tncir  actions. 

of  ^^  OH '; ,rr ''"°  ", '"'"'  ''  '^"  '"  --t'fi-t--  -1-1'  the  French 
rec  <il.     It  were  to  be  wished,  for  the  honor  of  the  nation,  that  as  many 
o     hem  as  have  transpired  might  be  obliterated  by  the  j  reciou    effS 
of  he  protection  of  the  superior  council,  which  is  now  applied  for      n 
t   .s  fo  etold  that  the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  will,  in  order  that  the^ 

ribu  itions  be  eo,n,,lete,  be  reduced,  in  process  of  time,  to  live       ely 
2         aiU^ugh  the  most  fVu^d  sort  of  .>od  would  not  be  a  matt^^ 
compL  ,nt  on  the  ,   part.     In  the  meantime,  the  preservation  of  their 
^v  s,   beir  obligation,  to  their  creditors,  their  sense  of  honor,  which  rt 

om  the  sacred  source  of  patriotism  and  of  duty,  finally  the  circl 
stance  of  the  attack  made  on  their  property  and  means  of '  ubsistencr  W 


.j-r 


i  i 


APPENDIX. 


371 


that 


r'ery  decree,  induce  them  to  offer  their 


All 


.  .  - possessions  and  their] 

to  preserve  for  ever  the  dear  and  inviolable  title  of  Frencli  citi/en.     AH 
that  has  hitherto  been  said  leads  them  naturally  to  demands  or  re.,uests 
to  ^vlnch  the  zeal  of  the  court  for  the  public  good,  and  its  steadiness  in 
upportmg  the  laws  of  which  his  most  Christian  majesty  has  made  them 
he  depositories,  assure  them  that  it  will  give  the  most  favorable  recep- 
tion.    But  before  they  proceed  to  state  their  rcjuest-^thev  must  acknow- 
iedgo  the  kindness  with  which  they  were  treated  by  Mi.  Aubry     The 
wishes  of  tlie  public  have  always  corresponded  with  the  choice  of  the 
pnnce   in   assigning   him   the   chief  command  over   the   province   of 
l^ouisiana  ;  his  virtues  have  caused  the  titles  of  honest  man  and  equita- 
ble governor  to  be  adjudged  liim  ;  he  never  made  use  of  his  power  but 
to  do  good,  and  all  unjust  deeds  have  to  him  ever  appeared  impossible. 
iliey  are  not  afraid  of  being  reproached  that  gratitude  has  mar",  them 
exaggerate  in  any  particular.     To  neglect  bestowing  deserved  t.raises  is 
to  keep  back  a  lawful  debt,  and  they  conclude,  finally,  by  intreating  the 

1.  To  obtain  that  the  privileges  and  exemptions  which  the  colony  has 
enjoyed,  smce  the  cession  made  by  the  company  to  his  most  Christian 
majesty,  should  be  maintained,  without  any  innovations  bein-.  suffered 
to  interrupt  their  course,  and  disturb  the  security  of  the  citizens. 

^.  lliat  passports  and  permissions  be  granted  from  the  governors  and 
commissioners  of  his  most  Christian  majesty,  to  such  captains  of  vessels 
as  shall  set  sail  from  this  colony  to  any  ports  of  France  or  America 
whatever. 

3.  That  any  ship  sailing  from  any  port  of  France  or  America  what- 
ever, s  uill  have  free  entrance  into  the  river,  whether  it  sail  directlv  for 
the  CO  ony,  or  only  put  in  accidentally,  according  to  the  custom  w'hich 
has  hitherto  prevailed. 

4.  That  fi-eedom  of  trade  with  all  the  nations  under  the  goven  ment 
ot  ns  most  Christian  majesty  be  granted  to  all  the  citizens,  in  conformity 
to  the  kings  orders  to  the  late  Mr.  D'Abbadie,  registered  in  the  archives 
r  I  \Z'  '"'  '"  <^"»f«™ity  to  the  letter  of  his  Grace  the 
Duke  of  Choiseul,  addressed  to  the  same  Mr.  D'Abbadie,  and  dated  the 
yth  ot  i<ebriiary,  1Y60. 

5.  That  Mr.  Ulloa  be  declared  to  have,  in  many  points,  infringed  and 
u  u..ped  he  authority  hitherto  possessed  by  the  government  aiufcouncil 
of  the  colony,  because  all  the  laws,  ordinance-,  and  customs  direct,  that 
said  authority  shall  not  be  exercised  by  any  ofiicer  until  he  sh.H  have 
complied  ^vith  all  the  formalities  prescribed;  and  this  condition  Mr. 
L  loa  has  not  observed.  He  should,  therefore,  be  declared  to  have 
infringed  and  usurped  the  authority  of  the  government:-].  For  havin-r 


372 


APPENDIX. 


If:   ! 


caused  the  Spanisli  flag  to  be  set  up  in  several  parts  of  the  colony,  with- 
out liav.i.g  previously  caused  to  be  registered  in  the  archives  of  the 
supen.,r  couucil,  the  titles  and  powers  which  he  may  have  had,  and  of 
which  the  assembled  citizens  might  have  been  informed.     2.  For  having 
of  h.8  own  accord,  and  by  his  own  private  authority,  insisted  upon  cap- 
tarns  be.ng  detained  with  tl>oir  ships  in  the  port,  with.-nt  any  cause,  and 
for  having  ordered  subjects  of  France  to  bo  confined  on  board  of  a 
Spanish  frigate.     3.  For  having  caused  councils,  in  which  decrees  were 
issued  concerning  the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana,  to  be  held  in  the  huuse 
of  Mr.  Dcstrehan.     They  request  that,  on  account  of  these  grievances, 
and  many  others  publicly  known,  and  likewise  for  the  tranquilh-ty  of  all 
the  citizens  who  apply  for  the  protection  of  the  council,  they  be  freed 
for  the  future,  from  the  fear  of  a  tyrannical  authority,  and  exempted 
from  observing  the  conditions  enjoined  in  the  said  decree,  by  means  of 
tl.e  disimssioii  of  Mr.  Ulioa,  who  should  be  ordered  to  embark  on  board 
of  the  first  vessel  which  shall  set  sail,  in  order  to  depart,  whenever  he 
tliinks  i)r(.per,  out  of  the  dependencies  of  this  province. 

G.  That  orders  be  given  to  all  the  Spanish  ofiicers  who  are  in  this 
city  or  scaUucu  throughout  the  posts  appertaining  to  the  colony,  to 
quit  them,  m  order  to  depart  likewise,  whenever  they  shall  think  i)roper, 
out  of  the  dependencies  of  the  province ;  and,  finally,  that  the  court  be 
pleased  to  order  that  its  decree,  when  rendered,  b.  read,  published,  and 
set  uj)  in  all  the  usual  places  of  the  town,  and  collated  copies  sent  to  all 
the  posts  of  the  said  colony, 

_  The  foregoing  representations  being  signed  by  five  hundred  and  thirty- 
six  persons-planters,  merchants,  tradesmen,  an-1  juen  of  note  ;  consider- 
ing, likewise  the  copy  of  the  decree,  ],ublishcd  by  orders  of  his  Catholic 
Majesty,  neither  signed  nor  dated,  and  an..ther  copy  of  an  ordinance 
published  ,n  this  city,  by  order  of  Mr.  Ulloa,  of  the  Gth  of  September 
17C0_;  the  interlocutory  decree  issued  yesterday,  upon  the  requisition  of 
the  kings  attorney-general,  ordering  and  directing  that,  before  the  deci- 
sion of  the  court,  the  said  representations  be  put  in  the  hands  of  Messrs 
Huchet  de  Kernion,  and  Plot  de  Launay,  titular  councilors,  to  be  by 
them  examined,  and  afterwards  communicated  to  the  king's  council  in 
order  that  what  the  law  directs  may  be  enacted  concerning  them-all 
these  particulars  being  taken  into  consideration,  the  king's  attorney  stood 
up  and  said :  a  j         ^ 

"  Gentlemen, 

"  The  first  and  most  interesting  point  to  be  examined  is  the  step 
tatm  by  all  the  planters  and  merchants  in  concert,  who,  bein.r  threat- 
ened with  slavery,  and  laboring  under  grievances  which  hitve  been 


Fl 


APPENPIX. 


373 


^Miumeratod,mUlre.s.s  yo,„       bunal,  and  require  justice  for  violations  ,  " 
the  solemn  act  of  oeHsion  of  this  onhny. 

"  I'  rr  ""  ''""^'^       '"'  "•«  ^^"^^  complaints  just  ? 

ve«f  S'!*'^"  "^^  r"^'         ^^^"'e  the  extent  of  the  rov.l  authority 

vestal  m  the  suponor  council.     The  parliaments  and  superior  couneHs 

nltnlJ  V    'T  "■'  '''"''^^  ""^'  '^'•^""'==«J  to  be.  from  the  tery 

thej  are  estabhshed  for  the  purpose  of  executing  the  ordinances,  edicts 
^'^^^^^^^^^i^'S^:^terU.ey^eregi.t.L  Such  has  been  l^' 
will  and  pleasure  of  Louis,  the  well-beloved,  our  lie^^e  lord  and  kin.  in 
whose  name  all  your  decrees,  to  the  present  day,  have  been  is  u   Und 

Catho Ic  Majesty's  com,;        ry  can  avail  himself,  to  make  his  demands 

orders  to  cause  ,   to  be  registered  in  the  superior  council  of  the  colony 
to  the  end  that  the  different  classes  of  the  s,.,d  colony  may  be  inform  d 
of  Ua  content,  and  may  be  enabled  to  have  recourL  to^t  uponTc; 
«M  Vt  ,'"f  "™'"*  ^''"^  calculated  for  no  other  purpose. 
Mr.  U  ba  s  letter,  dated  from  Havana,  July  10,  176.5,  which  expresses 
his  d,sposn:ons  to  do  the  inhabitants  all  the  servic  s  the^  can  des  Lwl 
addressed  to  you   gentlemen,  with  a  request  to  make  it  known T;! 
saul  mhabuants  that,  in  thus  acting,  he  would  onlv  discharge  his  d  t^ 
and  gratify  h,s  mclmations.     The  said  letter  was,  bv  your  decree,  after 
full  dehberafon  published,  set  up  and  registered/ as' a'pledge  of  1  appt 
n^s  and  tranqu,  hty  to  the  inhabitants.     Another  letter  of  the  month  of 
be  admin?  T"^"  ^^^  Aubry,  proves  that  justice  still  continues  to 

It  ;esuTf    f         r      ?  '"""-"'"  '^'  "^'"^  ''  ^^"'"^  the  well-beloved. 
I    results  from  the  solemn  act  of  cession  and  its  accessories,  that  the 
planters,  merchants  and  other  inhabitants  have  the  most  solid  basis  to 
stand  upon,  when  they  present  you  with   their  most  humble  remon- 
strances;  and  that  you,  gentlemen,  are  fully  authorized  to  pronounce 
thereupon.     Let  us  now  proceed  to  a  scrupulous  examination  of  the  act 
of  cession  and  of  the  letter  written  by  Ulloa  to  the  Superior  Council. 
I  thmk  ,t  hkew.se  mcumbent  on  me  to  cite,  word  for  word,  an  exf  ,ct 
th«K'ngs  letter,  which  was  published,  set  up  and  registered 
llm  very  solemn  act  of  cession,  which  gives  the  title  of  property  to 
his  Catholic  Majesty,  secures  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  colony  the  pre- 
servation of   ancient   and   known  privileges;   and   the  royal  word  ,y{ 
our  Sovereign  Lord,  the  King,  promises,  and  gives  us  ground  to  hope  for, 
others,  which  the  calamities  of  war  have  prevented  him  from  makinrr  his 
subjects  enjoy.     The  ancient  privileges  having  been  suppressed  by  the 

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APPENDIX. 


authority  of  bis  Catholic  Majesty's  commissioner,  property  beoomcs  pre- 
carious.    Tlie  act  of  cession,  which  was  the  mere  result  of  good  will  and 
friendship,  was  made  with  reserves  which  confirm  the  liberties  and  privi- 
leges of  the  inhabitants,  and  promises  them  a  life  of  tranouillity,  under 
the  protection  and  shelter  of  their  canon  and  civil  laws.  *  As  propertv 
accruing  from  a  cession  by  free  gift,  cannot  be  claimed  and  obtained, 
except  on  the  condition  of  complying,  during  the  whole  possession  of 
said  property,  with  the  reserves  contained  in  said  act  of  cession,  our 
sovereign  lord,  the  king,  hopes,  and  promises  himself  that,  in  consequence 
of  the  friendship  and  affection  shoivn  to  him  by  his  Catholic  Mujestij,  he 
{said  a  M.),  will  be  pleased  to  rjive  such  orders  to  his  ffoiwrnor,  and  to 
all  other  officers  employed  in  his  service  in  said  colony,  as  may  be  conducive 
to  the  advantage  and  tranquillity  of  the  inhabitants,  and  that  they  shall 
he  ruled,  and  their  fortunes  and  estates  vianuyed  uccordiwj  to  the  laws, 
forms,  and  customs  of  said  colony.     Can  Mr.  Ulloa's  titled  give;  authority 
to  ordinances  and  orders  which  violate  tlie  respect  due  to  the  solemn 
act  of  cession  1     The  ancient  privileges,  the  tranquillity  of  the  subjects 
of  France,  the  laws,  forms,  and  customs  of  the  colony,  are  rendered  sacred 
by  a  royal  promise,  by  a  registering  ordered  by  the  superior  council,  and 
by  a  publication   solemnly  decreed  and  universally  known.     The  sole 
aim  of  the  letter  of  our  sovereign  lord,  the  king,  was  to  grant  to  the  dif- 
ferent classes  of  the  colony  a  recourse  to  the  act  of  cession.     Therefore, 
nothing  can  be  better  grounded  or  more  legal  than  the  right  of  remon- 
strating, which  the  inhabitants  and  citizens  of  the  colony  have  acquired 
by  I'oyal  authority. 

"  Let  us  proceed  to  an  examination  of  the  letter  of  Mr.  Ulloa,  written 
to  the  .superior  council  of  New  Orleans,  dated-tlie  10th  of  July,  1'7G5. 
I  shall  here  cite,  word  for  word,  the  article  relative  to  the  superior 
council  and  the  inhabitants  : 

"  /  Jlatter  myself  beforehand,  that  it  tvill  afford  me  favorable  oppor- 
tunities to  render  you  all  the  services  that  yon  and  the  inhabitants  of 
your  toivn  may  desirc-qf  which  /  bey  yon  to  yive  thnn  the  assurance 
from  me,  and  to  let  them  know  thai,  in  acting  thus,  I  only  dischare/c  my 
duty  and  gratify  my  inclinations. 
^  "  Mr.  Ulloa  proved  thereby  the  orders  which  he  had  received  from  his 
Catholic  majesty,  conformably  to  the  solemn  act  of  cession,  and  mani- 
fested a  sentiment  which  is  indispensable  in  any  gi)vernor  who  is  desirous 
of  rendering  good  services  to  his  king  in  the  colonies. 

""Without  population  there  can  be  no  commerce ;  and  without  com- 
merce, no  population.  In  proportion  to  the  e- tent  of  both  is  the 
solidity  of  thrones  ;  both  are  fed  by  liberty  and  competition,  which  are 
the  nursing  mothers  of  the  State,  of  which  the  spirit  of  monopoly  is  the 


APPENDIX. 


375 


tyrant  and  step-mother.     Without  liberty  there  are  but  few  virtue. 
Despotism  breeds  pusillanimity  and  dee;,ens  the  abyss  of  vicet      M,n  t 

Where  ,s    he  hberty  of  our  planters,  of  our  merchants,  and  of  all  our 
other   ,nhab,tants       Protection  and   benevolence  have   given    way 
despotism  :  a  s.ngle  authority  would  absorb  and  annihill  eve  y  L' 
Al   ranks,  w,  hout  d.stinction,  can  no  longer,  without  runnin.  the  n"k 
of  be,ng  ^.xed  w,th  guilt,  do  anything  else  but  tremble,  bow  the     neXs 

trancu.ihty  of  wtuous  citizens,  has  supported  itself  only  by  the  com- 
bined force  ot  the  probity  and  disinterestedr.ess  of  it.  mo2eTZZ 
the  con  dence  of  the  people  in  that  tribunal.     Witho     t  k     .'l   e 
s.on  0   the  CO  ony,  without  registering,  as  was  necessary,  in  the'supeZr 
oouncd,  h,s  titles  and  patents,  according  to  the  laws,  forms,  and    Xm 
o    the  colony,  and  without  presentation  of  the  act  of  cession,    I    uZ 
as  caused  a  president,  three  councillors,  and  a  secretary,  no„  ina  ckI  fo 
he  purpose,  to  take  cognizance  of  facts,  which  belonged  to  tl:e  iuritlt 

rned  Ofte^rrr""""'  """  ■"  '-''''  ^-^'^  ^itizens  we"  t- 
ce  ned  Often  ,l,d  discontents  and  disgusts  seem  to  force  you  to  resi..„ 
your  places,  but  you  have  always  considered  it  as  a  duty  of  your  s  alio 

murs  of  t  e  oppressed  citizens.     The  love  of  your  country,  and  the  sen^e 
of  he  JUS  ,ce  due  to  every  citizen  who  applies  for  it,  have'i'iourished  "u 
.oal,   ,t  has  always  been  rendered  with  tlie  same  exactness  althmi"! 

z:::^^:^  t'\  '-  "-f-  ^.,^...,.,0..  on  the  in^::^':^ 

uie  act  ot  cession.  You  liave  always  feared  to  give  encouragement  to  'i 
mass  ot  discontented  people,  threatened  witli  the  most  dreadfuTc"  ami 
tie  you  have  preterred  public  tranquillity.  ]^ut  now  the  whole  by 
of  the  planters,  merchants,  and  other  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  apnho 
•    you  for  justice.  ^'«i'<i  appi}  to 

"Let  us  now  proceed  to  an 'accurate  and  scrupulous  examination  of 
1.0  grievances,  complain.s,  and  imputations  contailied  in    h  "ep  e      ta 
tons  of    he  planters,  merchants,  and  other  inhabitants.     Wha^  Id  "  ^ 
clusmal  pictures  do  the  said  representations  bring  before  your  eyes      1 
scourges  of  the  last  war,  a  suspension  to  this'day  of^the  p^n    of 
seven  millions  of  the  king's  paper  money,  issued  lo  suppl'hl "  ]    o 
the  service    and   received  with   confidence   by  the  inhabifants  of  tl^o 
oony,  ,,,d  obstructed  the  ease  and  facility  of  the  circulat    n     but  tie 
a  tiv,  y  and  industry  of  the  planter,  and  Jf  the  French  merchan    h  d 
a  most  got  the  better  of  all  difficulties.     The  most  remote  co    erof 

Srif^V  rr^T  '"'  '""  ^li-vered,theA,rtradeha;b    : 
cuned  to  it.  highest  perfection,  and  the  new  culture  of  cotton,  joined  to 


376 


APPENDIX. 


that  of  indigo  and  tobacco,  secured  cargoes  to  those  -.vho  were  engaged 
m  fitting  out  ships.     The  commissioner  of  his  Catholic  majesty  liad  pro- 
mised ten  years  of  free  trade,  that  period  being  suflicient  for  every  sub- 
ject of  France,  attached  to  his  sovereign  lord  and  king.     But  the  tobacco 
of  this  colony  being  prohibited  in  Spain,  where  those  of  Havana  are  the 
only  ones  allowed,  the  timber  (a  considerable  branch  of  the  income  of 
themhabitants),  being  useless  to  Spain,  which  is  furnished  in  this  article 
by  Its  possessions,  and  the  indigo  being  inferior  to  that  of  Guatimala, 
which  supplies  more  than  is  requisite  to  the  manufactures  of  Spain,  the 
returns  of  the  commodities  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  colony  to  the 
lemnsula   became   a   ruinous   trade,  and   the   said  inhabitants   were 
delivered  up  to  the  most  dreadful  misery.     His  Catholic  Majesty's  com- 
missioner had  publicly  declared  his  conviction  of  the  impossibility  of  this 
country  s   ti-ading   with   Spain :  all   patronage,  favor,   encouragement, 
were  formally  promised  to  the  inhabitants;  thj  title  of  protector  was 
decreed  to  Mr.  Ulloa  ;  the  hope  and  activity  necessary  to  the  success  of 
the  planter  were  nourished  by  the  ftiith  and  confidence  reposed  in  these 
assurances  of  the  Spanish  governor. 

"  But  by  the  eff-ect  of  what  undermining  and  imperceptible  fatality  have 
we  seen  a  house  worth  twenty  thousand  livres  sold  for  six  thousand,  and 
plantations,  all  on  a  sudden,  lose  one  half  or  two  thirds  of  their  intrinsic 
value  ?  Fortunes  waste  away,  and  specie  is  more  scarce  than  ever ; 
confidence  is  lost,  and  discouragement  becomes  general;  the  planter's 
cries  of  distress  are  heard  on  every  side;  the  precious  name  of  subject  of 
trance  is  in  an  eclipse,  and  the  fatal  decree  concerning  the  commerce  of 
Louisiana  gives  to  the  colony  the  last  fatal  stroke,  which  must  lead  to 
Its  total  annihilation.  The  Spanish  flag  is  set  up  at  the  Balize,  at  the 
Illinois,  and  other  places;  no  title,  no  letters  patent  were  presented  to 
the  superior  council;  time  flies  apace;  the  delays  fixed  for  the  liberty 
of  emigration  will  soon  expire,  force  will  tyrannize,  we  shall  be  reduced 
to  live  in  slavery  and  loaded  with  chains,  or  precipitately  to  forsake 
estabhshments  handed  down  from  the  grandfather  to  the  grandson  All 
the  planters,  merchants,  and  other  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  call  upon 
you  to  restore  to  them  their  sovereign  lord,  the  king,  Louis  the  well- 
beloved  ;  they  tender  to  you  their  treasures  and  their  blood.  Frenchmen 
to  live  and  Frenchmen  to  die." 

Let  us  proceed  to  sum  up  the  diarges,  grievances  and  imputations: 
Mr  Ulloa  has  caused  councilors  named  by  himself,  to  take  cogniz- 
ance of  facts  concerning  French  subjects,  which  appertained  only  to  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Superior  Council.  The  sentences  of  that  new  tribunal 
have  been  signified  to,  and  put  in  execution  against.  Mess.  Cadis  and 
Leblanc.    Mr.  Llloa  has  supported  the  negroes,  dissatisfied  with  their 


APPENDIX. 


377 


authority,  i  punisl   d     '  ,  '"'  f''"'  ^'  ^''^  "'"^^'^'^  ^^4 

41^^^"'?'^  """"^'^''^  '"  '''''''  ^'•'^l"''-^  ^^  behalf  of  the  Kin. 

i^ord,  the  K.ng,  and  destruct  ve  of  the  resneot  rl.,A  t«  i,;  oovere  gn 

seated  in  his  Superior  Council     n  as  mn!'tt7'T  •'"'''''' 

cusZr.'a'i!:  ™::a':,'„r;!^=,^'°  !;»"'*'*.^ »-  '»•.  f»"n»,  and 

ce»io„,  as  it  alr^T/,  i    l^^^^^^^^    'I'r"^',;'  "'»"»"  '»  *•  »«  »f 
July   It05  "^  '      '"'  """'  ""™"''.  ™  'te  loa  of 

"That  Mr.  Ulloa,  Commissioner  of  his  Catholic  Mnip«t,r  i..  •  ■  , 
to  loave  the  colony  i„  tl.o  Mga,.  in  whicht  *»  L«  STT 
avoid  accidents  or  new  claraors  nnd  m  „^  ^  •  ""-""""^  ^elaj,  to 
conduct  to  W,  Ca.ho,i:t°^t  '.  ;^ir„?:y; -f "' .;f 'i» 
PO.U  «taWM.«,  by  ,hc  -id  VDIloa/th:  I.el  lid t  eatt 
-n-iting  such  orders  as  l,c  shall  think  necessary    W  l,!  K    ,  . 

r^ponsibleforalllhe  evenU  which  he  r^guV.i.T,^,''^ 'ZT> 
Mess.  Aubry  and  Foucault  be  requested,  and  even    umZll  t     " 

rr:h?:,^:;rferS:""-'-°*-°-^^^^^^^ 

Chrilliau  Mtjesty  '^  "'  ""  """"'''"'  »">">i»")'  of  his  most 

"  That  the  taking  possession  of  the  colony  can  neither  le  proposed  nor 


378 


APPENTHX. 


attempted  by  any  moans,  without  new  orders  from  bis  most  Cliristian 
Majesty. 

"  'Ibat  Mess.  Loyola,  Gayarre  and  Navarro  be  dcclaieJ  guaranties  of 
their  signature  on  the  bonds  which  tliey  liave  issued,  if  they  do  not  pro- 
duce tiie  orders  of  his  Catholic  Majocty,  empowering  them  to  issue  said 
bonds  and  papers ;  aud  that  a  suUicient  time  be  granted  them  to  settle 
their  accounts. 

"  That  the  planters,  merchants  and  other  inhabitants  be  emj)owered 
to  elect  dei)Uties  to  carry  their  petitions  aud  supplications  to  our  Sovereign 
Lord,  the  King. 

"  That  it  be  resolved  aud  determined  that  the  Superior  Council  shall 
make  representations  to  our  Sovereign  Lord,  the  King;  that  its  decree, 
when  ready  to  be  issued,  be  read,  set  up,  published  au'l  registered. 

"  That  collated  copies  tliereof  be  sent  to  his  grace  the  Duke  of  Praslin, 
with  a  letter  of  the  Sui)eriur  Council,  and  likewise  to  all  the  posts  of  the 
colony,  to  be  there  lead,  set  up,  published  aud  registered." 

The  report,  being  heard,  of  Mess.  Iluchot  de  Kernion  and  Riot  de 
Launay,  councilors  and  commissioners  appointed  for  this  purpose,  the 
whole  being  duly  weighed,  and  the  subject  deliberated  upon,  the  Attor- 
ney-General having  been  heard  and  having  retired  : 

The  Council,  composed  of  thirteen  members,  of  which  six  were  named 
ad  hue,  having  each  of  them  given  his  ojiinion  in  writing,  pronouncing 
upoii  the  said  repiesentations,  has  declared  and  declares  the  sentences 
rendered  by  the  councilors  nominated  by  Mr.  UUoa,  and  carried  into 
execution  against  Mess.  Cadis  and  Leblanc,  subjects  of  France,  to  be 
encroachments  upun  the  authority  of  our  Sovereign  Lord,  the  King,  aud 
destructive  of  the  respect  due  to  his  supreme  justice,  vested  in  his  Supe- 
rior Council ;  has  declared  and  declares  him  an  usurper  of  i'lcga'  I'thor- 
ity,  in  causing  subjects  of  France  to  be  punished  and  oppresseil,  ithout 
having  previously  complied  with  the  laws  and  forms,  having  neither  pro- 
duced his  powers,  titles  and  provisions,  nor  caused  them  to  be  registered, 
and  that,  to  the  prejudice  of  the  privileges  insured  to  them  by  the  said 
act  of  cession  ;  and  to  prevent  any  violence  of  the  populace,  and  avoid 
any  dangerous  tumult,  the  Council,  with  its  usual  prudence,  finds  itself 
obliged  to  enjoin,  as  in  fact  it  enjoins,  Mr.  Ulloa  to  quit  the  colony, 
allowing  him  only  the  sj)ace  of  three  days,  either  in  the  frigate  of  his 
Catholic  Majesty  in  which  he  came,  or  in  whatever  vessel  he  shall  think 
proper,  and  go  and  give  an  account  of  his  conduct  to  his  Catholic  Majesty. 
It  has  likewise  ordained  and  it  ordains  that,  with  regard  to  the  posts 
established  by  him  !\t  the  upper  i)art  of  the  river,  he  shall  leave  such 
ot-ders  as  ho  judges  expedient,  making  l\im  at  the  same  time  responsible 
for  all  the  events  .vhich  he  miglit  have  foreseen.     It  has  re(iuested  and 


APPENDIX. 


379 


oquost.  Mess^AuLry  and  Foueault,  and  oven  summoned  them  in  the 
name  o  our  Sovercgn  Lord,  the  King,  to  continue  to  eommTnd  and 
govern  te  colony  as  they  did  heretofore.  At  the  same  tim.,  i^  1:' 
forbuls  al  those  uho  fit  out  vessels,  and  all  captains  of  sln'ps  to  klnlh 

ny  vesseJ  w.th  any  other  passport  than  that  if  Mr.  FoucL'lt  w  ot  1 

tha  ThelT-  ''  "*"'•  "^  '^^'""^'^^^^-^  '  '^  ''^^^  ••^'-  order     Id  ordel 
hat  the  taking  possession  for  his  Catholic  Majesty  can  neither  be  n' 
posed  nor  attempted  by  any  means,  without  new'orders  f Vom  h,s  m'  It' 
Christian  Majesty ;  that,  in  consequence,  Mr.  Ulloa  shall  emba  t  inT 
space  of  three  days  in  whatever  sl^  he  'shall  think  pr^lL.  "'"'  '"  '" 

C.l,„l,c  Majesty  „„<!  ,|„,„  ,.„„;„  „,„,i^,  „,  »„„„,„,!      c 

I  raslm.  Minister  of  the  Marine  Department 

We  order  all  our  bailifls  and  sergeants  to  perform  all  the  ..^f.  ..A 
ceremonies  requisite  for  carrying  tlie^n-esent  decree  ilLui        " 

app- 1 ;!;:  ^2;n;i:r^r^ "  ^"^^■•^"^-^ '- '--'-'  -^^  - 

Given  at  the  Council  Chamber,  on  the  29th  of  October,  1768. 

By  the  Council, 

Gahic, 
Principal  Secretary. 

AntonL''T\;T''"?  ''"  ,'^''''''"  "^  '^''  ^^""^"'  -J'i^'^  ^'■•-"i-es  Don 
Antomo  de  Ul  oa  trom  this  colony;  their  most  Christian  and  CathoHc 
Majesties  wil    be  offended  at  the  treatment  inflicted  on  a  pe   on  o    hL 
character,  and  notwithstanding  the  small  force  which  I  hale  a   mv  d^ 
posal    I  would  with  all  n.y  might,  oppose  his  departure,  were  I  no 
apprehensive  of  endangering  his  life,  as  well  as  the  livesof   1   tl     Sp  n 
uirds  m  this  country.  *i'''" 

Deliberated  at  the  Council  Chamber,  this  29th  of  October,  17C8. 


(Signed) 


Al'BKV, 


380 


APPENDIX. 


Collated  with  the  original,  left  among  the  minutes  of  the  Council  by 
me,  the  first  secretary,  whose  name  is  hereunto  affixed,  at  New  Orleans 
on  the  2d  of  November,  1768.  ' 

Garic, 
Principal  Secretary. 


END    OF   VOL.   IT. 


unci),  by 
Orleans, 

RIC, 

'etary. 


